Dangerous Games
by the-writer1988
Summary: Fascination with Obi-Wan Kenobi leads Count Dooku to capture the Jedi Master. Taken to Serenno, Obi-Wan finds himself caught up in a battle between two Sith Lords, enduring trials as the Count seeks to turn him and fighting to survive as another wishes for him to die... all the while Anakin seeks his missing Master. Complete!
1. Prologue

**A/N) New story time! This is a story I've been wanting to write for a while so I decided to try my hand at it! Hopefully it will be good! **

* * *

**Title: **Dangerous Games

**Author: **the-writer1988

**Rating: **T

**Characters: **Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku

**Summary: **Fascination with Obi-Wan Kenobi leads Count Dooku to capture the Jedi Master. Taken to Serenno, Obi-Wan finds himself caught up in a battle between two Sith Lords, enduring trials as the Count seeks to turn him and fighting to survive as another wishes for him to die... all the while Anakin seeks his missing Master.

**Notes:** It is mentioned in the novel for Revenge of the Sith of Dooku's fascination with Obi-Wan and how he would like to turn him. This story evolved from that.

**Disclaimer: **The mouse owns Star Wars. I just like to play in it.

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**Prologue**

His head pounded as conscious feeling filled his body. Darkness surrounded him as he fought to maintain his grip on reality. He couldn't move, his body restrained by more than simple binders. Clearly they did not want him to escape.

Opening his eyes, Obi-Wan Kenobi found himself lying on the floor of a hold. His hands were bound tightly behind his back by a chain connected to the wall. How had he got here? His memory was fuzzy but there had to be a reason why he was a prisoner…

Images started to flow back into his memory receptors. The head wound he had suffered delayed the reconstruction of his capture. But as his memory pieced the fragments together, he groaned, realising with horror what must have happened to the rest of his crew.

He'd been on patrol, a simple patrol near the edge of Republic space in the ship he had christened _The Negotiator_. Anakin and Ahsoka were stationed in the next system over, watching for any sign of enemy activity.

The Separatists had jumped out of hyperspace practically on top of them. Their shields had fallen before they could mount an effective counter-attack. Faced with losing a battle, Obi-Wan had ordered a tactical retreat, commanding the other ships in his fleet to flee to neighbouring systems and alert the other Republic patrols of the attack.

His ship had been disabled and droids had boarded.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes briefly as he remembered the bodies of his troopers littering the hallways. The clone troopers had been bred for war yet Obi-Wan revered their lives. He didn't want to waste them and the mindless slaughter conducted by the enemy forces only continued to prove that they did not have good intentions for the Republic if they won this war.

He tugged at the bonds holding his wrists behind his back but failed to make any headway in breaking them. He growled under his breath. The Separatists knew ways how to contain Jedi. They'd captured enough of them to experiment enough that would prevent any escape. General Grievous always seemed to be one step ahead of the Jedi, knowing when to strike at them, and how to target the weak spots of their ships.

Obi-Wan sighed. Grievous had boarded _The Negotiator, _had fought Obi-Wan, cornering the Jedi Master in a hallway. Surrounded by battle droids, he and Grievous had fought, all the while Obi-Wan's clone commander, Cody, had attempted to make a drop on the droids, to give his General a chance to escape. They had failed to make an impact that would have given Obi-Wan the distraction he needed to get away.

He didn't know what had happened to Cody in the carnage or the rest of the battalion his friend commanded. Obi-Wan had been too busy trying to fend off the continuous assault Grievous threw at him. Distracted by ordering Cody and the others to begin their retreat, Obi-Wan hadn't had time to defend himself against Grievous' next attack. The droid General had launched towards him, grabbing him by the face with one of his steel-hooked feet, flinging him over and hard onto the durasteel floor. His chest was crushed by the force of the hold the droid General had on him; Obi-Wan had succumbed to the threatening darkness that had loomed over him.

Instead of killing him as he had assumed Grievous would, the droid General must have taken him captive.

Wherever he was, he wasn't on _The Negotiator _anymore.

Carefully, he reached out to Anakin in the Force, trying to sense his former Padawan's presence. It became realistically clear that he had been drugged, his connection to the Force supressed.

_Just my luck!_

Not being able to make any contact with his friend was problematic. How long would it be before they learnt that he was missing? Would they assume him dead? No, Anakin wouldn't believe he was dead. If his reaction to Obi-Wan's supposed 'death' on Jabiim had anything to go by he wouldn't rest until he was certain Obi-Wan was dead.

_And the only way he'd accept that would be if he saw my dead body._

He shuddered.

He had the ominous feeling that he wasn't in for a pleasant time at all.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Just a short prologue to set things up. I decided to start right from the moment Obi-Wan was captured as I felt it was a better creative decision to do since it allows me to move onto the story quite quickly. The chapters are probably going to be short at present as things are built up but I do intend to write longer chapters as we get into the meat of the story. Anakin and Ahsoka will also feature. I wouldn't class this as a Dark-Obi fic, as I simply do not know whether this story is going to go that far or not yet. But its going to be a tough old time for Obi-Wan in this story. **

**Next chapter will be posted soon (hopefully next week sometime!) **

**the-writer1988**


	2. Chapter 1: Discovery

**A/N)**** Wow, I wasn't the expecting the response I got with just the prologue! Thank you to everyone! Here is the next chapter... **

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**One**

The moment Obi-Wan failed to make contact with Anakin's fleet at the check-in time, was the moment the young Jedi panicked. He ordered Admiral Yularen to send the check-in code himself to the other fleets spread out across the frontier, but Anakin himself, was already halfway to the flight deck, his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, running after him.

Anakin didn't even bother to notify the bridge of what he was doing, Yularen could already guess, had already authorised his departure. Taking the _Twilight_, Anakin set course for the system Obi-Wan was stationed in.

"Do you think something has happened to Master Kenobi?" asked Ahsoka worriedly.

"He didn't check in when he was supposed to," replied Anakin. "Protocol states that every fleet has to check in every twelve hours. He didn't this time. And Obi-Wan always is on time. He never fails to make contact." His hands shook as he held onto the controls, watching the count-down timer. "When he doesn't make contact, it usually means something is up. I'm just hoping it's more 'I'm resting and forgot to tell Commander Cody to report in problem' rather than something worse."

But Anakin couldn't shake off the feeling that something bad had happened to his best friend.

* * *

Ahsoka could feel the agitation across the training bond she had with her Master. There was fear and worry sparking off Anakin Skywalker like a volcano waiting to blow. It made her feel uneasy that he was unable to control his emotions. She knew how close he and his former Master were but she had been taught that Jedi did not have attachments. Anakin Skywalker was an enigma to her, someone who appeared to go against the traditional Jedi role.

The short hyperspace trip to the neighbouring system did not take long and as Anakin pulled back on the hyperspace levers, she sensed his anxiety rise high. She bit her lip; her Master would not appreciate her comments now.

After all she was only the Padawan, what right did she have to question his actions or feelings?

* * *

The moment they saw the wreckage of the Jedi cruiser, Anakin knew what had happened and his heart sunk. Obi-Wan's fleet had been decimated, pieces of it scattered throughout space. Three cruisers destroyed by the attack, hundreds of thousands of lives lost… and yet…

"He didn't die, Ahsoka," he found himself saying. "I would have sensed it." At least he hoped he would. Despite the turbulent apprenticeship Anakin had had under the tutelage of Obi-Wan Kenobi, they had become an effective team, one that had been recognised as efficient by even the government of the Republic itself. They were feared by the lesser generals of the Separatist army. They had become legends to millions of children throughout the galaxy… "If Obi-Wan was losing, he'd order a retreat. He wouldn't want to lose all these lives," he reasoned, hoping he was right about his estimation of his former Master. "There might be some escape pods out there."

Feeling more positive, but still concerned that he was unable to truly detect his Master, Anakin set the scanners running, searching for signs of life amongst the wreckage presented before them. Almost instantly, at least four hotspots resonating from escape pods appeared on their screen.

A small smile tugged on Anakin's lips. "He's got to be in one of those. He could be wounded." He screwed his face up as he tried to sense Obi-Wan. "He feels distant to me, sort of fudge-like, almost undetectable."

Anakin steered the _Twilight _towards the source of the life-sign signals. "Ahsoka, see if you can contact anyone… there might be some survivors."

Anakin didn't watch as the Togrutan girl sent out a message, calling along a general channel, requesting anyone to make contact. He concentrated once more upon the bond that still existed between him and his former Master, trying to find him. The worry lingered that he was unable to properly sense him. He was just fuzziness within the Force.

A voice came over the communication channel and Anakin pulled himself back into the here and now, hoping to hear that it was Obi-Wan, but it wasn't.

"Commander Tano, this is Commander Cody."

Anakin sat straight forward. "This is General Skywalker. Where is Obi-Wan?" It seemed bad of him to not want to enquire how many were alive and what had happened first, but he couldn't shake off that feeling that warranted his concern for the Jedi Master.

"General," Cody acknowledged. "General Kenobi was…" there was a slight hesitation on the clone's part before he completed the sentence, "… was captured."

"WHAT?" Anakin's outburst was loud enough that he noticed Ahsoka wince, but at that moment he didn't care. "How?"

"It was General Grievous. He dropped out on our fleet unexpectedly. No warning at all. One minute there was nothing, the next he was there. We did the best we could in that situation. He came prepared for boarding. They just overran the ship quickly. The other two cruisers were destroyed. They came for a specific purpose and I am afraid they must have achieved that. I saw the General get caught but I was pinned down, unable to break through to help. He had ordered us to get to escape pods but I was determined to help him. As soon as General Kenobi was down, they grabbed him and left. My troops and I only escaped because we knew they would destroy _The Negotiator _which they did as they fled the system." There was a slight pause before the clone commander continued. "I am sorry, sir, that I was unable to fulfil my duties towards the General. I have let him down."

Anakin bit his tongue to stop himself from saying something he knew he would regret. He wanted to blame Cody for failing to prevent Obi-Wan's capture but if he was the purpose they had boarded _The Negotiator _in the first place then Cody wouldn't have had a chance, especially if they were unable to break through what sounded like a terrible battle. It also explained why he couldn't latch onto Obi-Wan's Force presence. Grievous must be using a suppressor of some sort to prevent him being traced.

"Master?" said Ahsoka.

Anakin shook his head. "I knew something was wrong the moment Obi-Wan didn't check in." He felt angry. "Did you manage to get a lock on in the direction Grievous' fleet went?"

"The fleet split up. We couldn't determine what ship the General was being held captive on," replied Cody.

Anakin sighed. Obi-Wan could be anywhere.

"We'll send a ship to pick you up Cody," said Anakin, "and the other pods too." He felt almost helpless. If they had known where the fleet had headed it was possible Anakin could have traced them, performed a daring rescue which was his speciality and be back in time without the Council even learning about Obi-Wan predicament.

But it didn't look like it would be that easy.

"I need to report to the Council… See if any of our spies can learn any information. Obi-Wan needs our help, and I won't let him down."

_Ever_.

After Jabiim, Anakin had promised himself that. He didn't intend to start now.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! Yes, Jabiim is still canon, still happened. There might be more references to it later on in this story.**

**We head back to Obi-Wan in the next chapter... Should be posted soon. **

**the-writer1988**


	3. Chapter 2: The Beginning

**A/N) I actually didn't mean to leave updating this long. I'm at university at the moment and my end of year is now (My course starts in April so my end of year is always around now meaning all assignments/exams are due over the Xmas period) and I've only just come out of the really busy, busy period. I want to thank everyone who left a review for the previous chapter. **

**In response to a question posed in one of my reviews: the Jabiim mentioned in the last chapter refers to the original Jabiim story published by Dark Horse Comics and not the version I adapted for my other Star Wars story 'A Mother's Love'. **

**Onto the chapter...**

* * *

**Two**

_I've been drugged. _

_Again. _

Obi-Wan groaned as consciousness slowly returned to him. His whole body hurt and his muscles ached from his arms being tied behind his back for a long period of time.

The first thing he noticed was that he was no longer being held in the hold of a ship. He had been moved. _Probably to prevent me from learning where I am… I can't alert Anakin anyway because they've supressed me. _But it seemed that they were not taking any extra chances.

He was in a cell this time and all was quiet, with a little light shifting through the small window in the door. He shifted position, trying to move into a more comfortable one, sitting up against the wall, so that if he was approached by anyone, he wouldn't be at a disadvantage.

The first thing that came to his mind was why he had been taken. Sure, he was a member of the Jedi Council and a valuable member of the Republic military. He was in possession of some knowledge that if he broke could lead to the destruction of several key Republic bases. He could stand up to torture. He had before. Recent attacks on Jedi cruisers had focused on members of the Jedi Council; he had been expecting an attack at some point, for them to come for him, but the attack on him had been planned carefully and executed to precision. Whatever the Separatists wanted him for, he had the ominous feeling that it wasn't merely for just simple information as some of the other Council members had been.

There was something dark and sinister going on here.

They had made sure he didn't know where he was being taken to or who he was held by. Drugging him had been the first clue.

Shivering in the cold that seemed to characterise his cell, Obi-Wan tried to calm his racing mind, to centre himself, preparing for what he was sure to come. Without sufficient access to the Force, he was unable to even do that.

Feeling a little frustrated at his current predicament, Obi-Wan knew he had to settle in to wait.

* * *

Watching through the cameras that offered him a glimpse of his new apprentice, Count Dooku smiled as he considered the path he had chosen. His own Master was secretly harbouring designs for Dooku's replacement – with an uncontrollable boy! That galled him, that Darth Sidious could consider Anakin Skywalker a worth-while replacement to him? That he could even believe that the boy was suitable Sith material. The boy had no control – he was too erratic in his actions, unable to comprehend the subtleness that the Force provided. His arrogance was blinding.

Yet the man held in the cell was perfect Sith material. The perfect Jedi. If swayed to the Dark Side, Dooku would be unbeatable. Not even his own Master would be able to stand up to him, with Kenobi at his side. Perhaps that was arrogance on his part? No, it was ambition.

Ambition and his feelings told him this course of action was the _right _thing to do.

He could see his guest was awake. Perhaps it was time to introduce him to the rigours of what his new life would be like?

* * *

Surprisingly, he didn't have to wait long before he heard the sound of footsteps echoing in the corridor outside his cell door. _Definitely not Grievous then. It has to be Dooku,_ he reasoned. Perhaps now he would find out why he was here.

He took a deep breath, calming his body and clearing his mind. If it was Dooku, he couldn't give him the satisfaction of letting him have access to Obi-Wan's private thoughts. Unfortunately, the Force collar around his neck was problematic. He had no shields around his mind; he was an open book to his captor.

He pushed himself up the wall, so that he was now standing, his hands still bound behind his back. Eyes fixed on the door, he listened as the footsteps stopped outside his door, heard the sound of a code being input and then the door slid open.

Obi-Wan glared at Count Dooku as he slowly walked inside the small cell. He refused to speak first, not liking the predatory gaze that the Sith Lord seemed to have on him.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi… Jedi Master and Council member…" Dooku's voice was chilled. "And now my apprentice."

Obi-Wan's eyebrows rose as he considered the implications of that sentence. Clearly he had been correct in his assumptions that something sinister was going on here.

"No witty remark?" sneered Dooku. "How disappointing." The Count moved forward once more.

Still Obi-Wan did not answer. It was uncharacteristic of him to do so but he was wary and he did not appreciate what Dooku's plans for him were. He had refused to join him before; his silence meant the same thing. He would not submit to the Sith Lord, no matter what Dooku intended to do to him to acquiesce his obedience.

"Very well…" Dooku's arms slowly rose so his fingers were pointing at Obi-Wan. "I see it is time for your first lesson: acknowledging your Master when spoken to."

Obi-Wan smirked. He knew what was about to happen. Preparing himself for the onslaught that was about to come, he straightened his back and fixed his eyes with Dooku's yellow ones.

Never would that colour embed his irises. He would not bow.

No matter what.

* * *

Dooku had expected this; had known that Kenobi would be defiant at first. He hadn't considered the possibility, however, that the Jedi wouldn't speak to him at all. That frustrated him since he had been looking forward to their talks. Kenobi would have to learn that not communicating would be a bad choice on his part.

But how to go about it?

A grim smile crossed his face. What did a Jedi need to speak _and _more importantly to _breathe_?

Airways, of course. Restrict them, he could do neither.

He didn't wish to harm his prisoner too quickly. He needed Kenobi to be co-operative or at least willing to open his mind to the lure of the dark side. A simple but effective punishment was what he needed. All he needed was one session with the Jedi to begin to lay the seeds of doubt; seeds that would fester in the Jedi's mind as his captivity took hold.

Even if the Jedi Council did discover Kenobi's whereabouts they wouldn't be able to free their lost Master. Serenno was too heavily guarded, too fortified that an intrusion would be effectively impossible.

Dooku moved his hand upwards, clutching it into a fist.

The Jedi's hands, if freed, would have shot straight to his neck in a strangle-hold, however the only inclination that the Jedi was struggling to breathe was his desperate attempts as he tried to suck in air that simply would not feed into his lungs, would not be oxygenated…

Dooku lifted him up into the air, the Jedi's legs kicking out desperately.

His face was turning red from the lack of oxygen, Dooku did not realise him.

There would be a specific moment in this method that Dooku wanted before he would release Kenobi, before he gave the Jedi a chance to breathe.

His legs began to stop moving, and his eyelids were slowly falling, nearly obscuring his vision. It was at that point Dooku deemed it appropriate to give the Jedi much needed rest.

He released Kenobi from his Force-grip.

The young man fell to the cell floor, his legs crumbling from under him and he fell into a heap at Dooku's feet, slumping forward, almost mimicking a bow.

The Count's face twisted into a smile. "How ironic… bowing before your Master."

He watched contently as the Jedi took in deep gulps of air. Finally what he wished to hear – any words from the Jedi mouth – came.

Kenobi lifted his head, straightening his body so he no longer bowed before his Master. "I will _never _bow to you willingly," he spat.

"We will see," smirked Dooku. "Your old Master did… you will too."

"_Never_!"

"They won't find you, Kenobi, your friends. They may seek you but you are here to stay… unless you find it in the wisdom that you supposedly have to _join _the _right _side." Dooku knew he had to find the words that would push Kenobi to anger, into the right frame of mind where he might be more open to accepting the true facts of the Jedi Order.

Cutting him off from the Force would accomplish that goal easily enough. If Kenobi became frustrated and angry, no matter how much he tried to calm himself, he relied on the peaceful light side to aid him… He wouldn't be able to last long without its stabilising factor.

Dooku's plan was simple: goad the Jedi until he was broken, enough so that allowing him access to the Force wouldn't backfire against him. If Kenobi did not co-operate, other methods would have to be employed, however he desired to keep the Jedi relatively unharmed. He wanted Kenobi to join his side willingly rather than forcefully.

Torture was merely another method but one that would ensure compliance through threat of pain for disobedience.

No, Dooku's victory would be sweeter if Kenobi freely took his place at his side.

"Anakin is smarter then you give him credit for," replied the captive Jedi.

"Skywalker's downfall will be for those he cares about," laughed Dooku. "He may look for you, but do not hope for rescue. When you next see him again, you will be fighting _him_."

He wondered whether he should inform Kenobi of the Sith's grand designs on Skywalker…

_As tempting as it is, that little nugget of information would be better used later. It might be the piece that pushes him over the precipice. To save his apprentice, Kenobi may do everything he can to prevent it. _A smile crossed his lips. _That will be his downfall. _He could almost sense it on the precipice of his senses.

Kenobi remained silent, once again refusing to respond to Dooku's words about his future.

It did not matter now.

_I have given him things to muse over. _

Without even saying anything to the Jedi, Dooku turned and left the cell, instructing the magna-droids to give the Jedi a sip of water every six hours. He didn't wish for him to die, but to be weak enough that he might realise that resisting was not the way to survive.

Dooku intended to return later.

For now, he had a war to co-ordinate.

* * *

Sitting in the cell, Obi-Wan contemplated his situation.

He had been correct that his presence in this place wasn't for the usual uses the Separatists captured Jedi for. Dooku had specific plans for him. He had only spoken to Dooku because he did not wish to give the impression that he would bow before the Sith Lord and the Count's slant against Qui-Gon had annoyed him.

What the Count had said was true; Qui-Gon had bowed before Dooku willingly. He had been Qui-Gon's Master. Dooku's words had frustrated Obi-Wan for that reason. No one could have known that the revered Jedi Master that Dooku had once been would succumb to the dark side of the Force and wage a war against the Jedi Order and the Republic it stood to protect.

Dooku was a resourceful individual. Even if he was found by Anakin, he doubted Dooku would let him go that easily, especially after the trouble he went through to ensure that he was captured.

_Keep calm and focused, Kenobi. _

He knew he would be in for a tough time. He knew Dooku would use everything he had to convince Obi-Wan to pledge his allegiance. Obi-Wan vowed not to acquiesce to his demands.

He would die before he joined Count Dooku.

He leant back against the wall of his cell. If he was to keep up his strength to fight off Dooku, he would have to be rested.

Closing his eyes, Obi-Wan fell into an uneasy sleep.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**I don't think its Dooku's style to torture someone, like Asajj Ventress would do; his style seems to be more focused on the mind rather then the physical. Hopefully this chapter came across well enough to reflect that. **

**The next chapter should be posted soon. (Not written yet so I can't say when, hopefully sometime next week). **

**Until then, **

**the-writer1988**


	4. Chapter 3: Council

**A/)**** Thank you for all the comments! I'm glad you've all like how I've set up the main crux of this story. We'll be flicking between Anakin and Ahsoka every other chapter, of which in this one, we return to them. Just getting all the characters into position so I hope to be able to write longer chapters very soon :)**

* * *

**Three**

Reporting to the Jedi Council was one of the hardest things Anakin had, had to do. Informing them that one of the twelve leaders of the Order had been captured was his duty, no matter how much it hurt as all he wished to do was jump into his star-fighter and rescue his Master from wherever he was being held.

He had a duty to Ahsoka; to instruct her in the ways of the Jedi. Anakin didn't intend to listen to whatever the Council said, unless, of course, they took action and sent out search parties for Obi-Wan and that he was sanctioned to help.

He stood in a private room with Ahsoka at his side, on-board his cruiser. His arms were folded and he waited while his technicians patched him through to the Jedi Council. He had barely said a word to Ahsoka since they had arrived back, not knowing what to do with her in this type of situation. To her credit, she had just watched him; he could feel her inquisitive stare at his back even now…

He had tried to find Obi-Wan in the Force but the connection between them was blocked. As expected when a Jedi was captured by the Separatists. Force-suppressants were in high supply these days.

Finally the connection to the Council went through and the images of the seven Masters still at the Temple came before him, the others were on assignment, out of contact, or in Obi-Wan's case, a prisoner of war.

"Skywalker, what do you have to report?" asked Mace Windu.

After all, Anakin wasn't supposed to be reporting in; that job was Obi-Wan's. He had expected a little anger from the Council at his unauthorised transmission. It wasn't as if Obi-Wan could contact the Council and tell them he was a prisoner.

"I regret to inform you, Masters, that Master Kenobi didn't report in at the prearranged time. I took the _Twilight _–" he saw Windu frown – "and found Obi-Wan's fleet completely destroyed. There were only a few survivors, Commander Cody among them." He wanted to wring his hands together to make himself feel better but it wasn't the right thing to do at this moment. "It was Grievous, and they took Obi-Wan alive."

"This is unfortunate news…" replied Mace Windu, leaned forward in the hologram. "Disregarding your own fleet to inspect Obi-Wan's position was irresponsible of you, Skywalker –"

Anakin started to interrupt but Mace held up a hand to stop him.

"Let me finish, however it has been noted that you are an expert pilot and you did make the correct judgement call in going in by yourself instead of sending your entire fleet into a potentially dangerous situation," finished Windu, surprising Anakin with his small praise of his actions.

"What of Master Kenobi?" asked Adi Gallia. "Was there any indications of where he could be?"

Anakin shook his head sadly. "Commander Cody told me he tried to track him, but Grievous split his fleet up. I have techs inspecting the engine traces left in the system to determine what directions they could be heading to. Cody didn't know what ship Obi-Wan was being held on either."

"Troubling news this is," said Yoda. "Difficult to sense Master Kenobi it is, but alive he remains. Into the shadow of the dark side he has been taken. But why and what for is unknown."

"I'm going to help with the investigation," stated Anakin. He wouldn't take no for an answer. "The important thing is to track down Obi-Wan before the Separatists can use him against us."

"You are needed to patrol the systems, Skywalker," said Mace Windu sternly. "We cannot authorise your venture. Regardless of Master Kenobi's situation, it is vital that we do not lose any ground over his capture. We need to keep those systems secured to prevent any Separatist ship from slipping through our nets. If they did, they'd be in a position to attack Coruscant."

Anakin felt angry. The Council was willing to leave Obi-Wan in the hands of the enemy? "No. I did not expect that you would leave him a prisoner." His defiance shone through his Force aura.

"We didn't say that we would leave him in the hands of the Separatists either," stated Windu. "You made that conclusion on your own."

Anakin bristled. Windu had never liked him, had always distrusted him. "I can find him!" he returned angrily. "Just give me a chance!"

"There is nothing more to be said on this subject, Skywalker," continued Windu. "You are to remain in position and the Council will deal with this ourselves. We do not intend to leave Master Kenobi a captive. We will send a Master of this Council to you, and you will a_id _them in their investigation but you will not be in charge, and nor will you leave your post _unless _you have express permission from this Council regarding this matter."

He still felt angry. He steeled his jaw. "Fine." It was rude but he didn't care. All his worry was taken up by his concern for his former Master. He was a Jedi Knight now, with an apprentice of his own. Surely they should trust him? If they could trust him to train a Padawan to Knighthood, why couldn't they trust him to bring Obi-Wan back alive?

Duty.

It all boiled down to that.

Defending their borders was more important.

And he could understand that but he and Obi-Wan were close – if anyone stood a chance of finding Obi-Wan before anyone else, it was Anakin.

He took a deep breath and resolved himself. He knew what he had to do and the Council were not going to like it one bit. "Yes, Masters," he managed to grit out before he ended the communication.

* * *

"Master?"

"What is it Ahsoka?" he asked her.

Ahsoka bit her lip wondering how best to phrase her question. She decided to skip the formalities and go straight to it. She had been Anakin's apprentice long enough to know that he obeyed the rules when it suited him and that there were times when obeying the Council was not the best course of action. She was sure that she knew what he was going to do. "We're going after Master Kenobi, aren't we?"

He nodded. "We are or as far as we can. This is not a good example to you, Ahsoka, but the Council are wrong this time. It will take over a day for any Council representative to get here. I don't think we will locate Obi-Wan in that time but we can make some headway. Perhaps we can find something for the Master that comes to use." He suddenly grinned. "Besides Master Windu told me to patrol the systems… so, he didn't explicitly state to stay on board this ship did he?"

"Oh that's sneaky, Master," replied Ahsoka, marvelling at the way he had interpreted his orders.

"And it will get me in trouble," shrugged Anakin, "but finding Obi-Wan is more important to me. Admiral Yularen is more than capable of defending this ship and this system if I am patrolling elsewhere."

"If anything happens, he will call you back, won't he?" she clarified.

"He will. He's a good Admiral, Ahsoka, and I won't abandon my duty to the people of the Republic either if an attack happens. We will return and fight."

She could tell Anakin meant that even if it would be putting Obi-Wan's life on the line.

* * *

The dark side rolled around and _through_ him, cascading in waves that flicked throughout his body. It pleased him greatly that he still continued to elude the pitiful Jedi… that they did not even suspect that he could even be a Sith Lord. His plans were moving steadily forward that would eventually lead to the destruction of the Jedi Order. His plans had long been in the making and finally they were coming to fulfilment.

Jedi died in the war every day and the dark side cackled in glee at each death… Save for one particular Jedi that seemed to be well adapted to surviving whatever Sidious threw at him.

_Kenobi_.

That name grated on his skin, and his eyes flashed yellow as he thought of the man that bore that name.

But now he had his chance to rid the galaxy of this Jedi…

Word had reached him through the Jedi Council that Kenobi's fleet had been attacked and the Council Master spirited away. He had not ordered any such attack however it seemed those orders had originated from his apprentice.

Though Dooku was in charge of the overall war effort, he still received the majority of his orders from his Sith Master. Sidious hadn't sanctioned an attack on Kenobi; Dooku had acted alone, choosing to defy Sidious' orders to leave the line of defence unbroken for now.

Before contacting his apprentice, he would have to meditate, bask in the glow of the dark side and uncover the truth behind Dooku's treachery. Find out exactly why Dooku had taken the Jedi Master. He wouldn't be angry if the attack had ended with Kenobi's death… but the fact the aim had been to capture…

Either way, Kenobi was doomed to die.

Sidious would see to it, personally if he had to.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**So Sidious enters and the games are about to begin! **

**The next chapter will focus on Obi-Wan and Dooku. I hope to have this chapter posted next week sometime. **

**Until then, **

**the-writer1988**


	5. Chapter 4: To Attempt Escape

**A/N) So here is the next chapter! It's a little longer, in which Obi-Wan attempts something drastic… **

**Four**

He slept for no more than a few hours at best. Uncomfortable in the cell, Obi-Wan woke in darkness. Even the light that had shone through the small window in the door was out, leaving him completely blind as to his surroundings. He felt more refreshed then he had since his capture, the drug in his system was slowly being filtered out though he knew Dooku would soon have his minions top it up, though the Force collar he still wore would do its job marvellously.

Still if Dooku did not come to drug him again himself, perhaps he could find a way out of his situation? That's if the Sith Lord intended to keep Obi-Wan drugged…

_My hands may be bound but I am not without my wits! _

It was not long after he woke that his cell door slid open and one of Dooku's Magna guards stepped into the cell. Obi-Wan watched wearily as the droid approached, assessing the situation before he decided to act.

The droid was accompanied by its companion, who held in its steel claws a small glass of water – or what he presumed to be anyway. The other droid levelled a blaster at the Jedi's face, the meaning clear, though he imagined if he was to try anything he would be stunned rather then killed.

Dooku wouldn't go to all this trouble to simply kill him for an attempted escape.

With that in mind, Obi-Wan considered what he could do. He could use this opportunity to study the actions of these droids, or he could attempt to escape. He was not attached to the wall, but his hands being behind his back would prove to be the complication in any escape attempt. Dare he risk an attempt now or did he wait?

If Anakin was with him he'd have a hard job of preventing his young charge from escaping without gaining the knowledge he might need about the droid's actions. No, he would have to wait. See what happened and act the next time, if there was a next time. Gaining intelligence was more important than attempting an erratic escape without much planning to be had.

The two droids approached him until they were right in front of him. The magna-guard held out its arm with the beaker in it. "You will take one sip. If you do not comply we have orders to shoot you."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. One sip? He was allowed one sip? Clearly Dooku was punishing him for earlier or weaken him enough through lack of hydration that his mind might be more susceptible. He smirked, already realising that this was exactly what the Count had planned.

The beaker came to his lips and he grudgingly took one sip, his eyes completely focused on the droids in front him, his mind analysing the situation, filing it away for future reference. Escape was possible – and if he dared enough he'd try it now, but no… not yet. Let them think he would obey.

The droids retreated, his thirst not even quenched by the small morsel of liquid he had been granted. He would not let that get to him.

As the door slid shut once more, he leaned back against the wall and considered his strategy. The next time the droids entered would be the signal to act.

* * *

Dooku had watched the Jedi's actions through the security system. He had expected Kenobi to sit this one out; to use the time to study the situation before attempting anything. Oh, he had done his research on the Jedi. He knew Kenobi wouldn't act before constructing a plan of escape. He was so unlike his apprentice that it seemed hard to believe that Anakin Skywalker hadn't learned anything from his tutoring under Obi-Wan.

Still, his assumptions on the Jedi Master had proved correct.

Let Kenobi think that Dooku didn't 'know' him, let him believe that he had a chance of escape from his prison.

It would be a fine lesson to teach the Jedi when his attempt proved futile.

* * *

Time passed slowly and once more Obi-Wan fell into an uneasy sleep, trying to get as comfortable as he could with his arms chained behind his back. He woke once more when the Magna-droids opened his cell door once more. He wasn't sure how long it had been since the last time, but he was well aware of the thirst that was with him.

His throat was dry and his lips slightly chapped. His belly grumbled at the lack of food. He ignored that, keeping his eyes on the two droids that approached him. He would have to be quick if the idea he had would work satisfactorily. Obi-Wan allowed them to press the cup to his lips and he drank, but before they could pull it away, he clamped his teeth around it, preventing the droid from taking it away.

He pulled back with his head and then let go with his mouth.

Water splashed upwards and Obi-Wan rolled to the side as the second droid shot a stun blast at him. He was already on his feet and sweeping out his right leg, toppling both droids in one swift movement. He could do nothing about his bound hands at the moment. If he had the Force he might have been able to break them apart.

He figured this escape attempt probably wouldn't end successfully, but he had to try. He already had the feeling that Dooku was watching his every move.

The unnerving part about his actions was that no other droids had entered the cell. If he was being watched, he was being set up, and he wouldn't put it past Dooku to try something like that either. He would have to be careful…

_This is when I could use the Force right about now… _

He rushed through the open door, slamming his shoulder into the control pad. The door slid shut, trapping the two Magna droids in his former cell. That gave him some time.

The hallway in which he now stood was deserted.

Quickly he looked back and forth before he ran up to the door. With his hands behind his back, he found it difficult to press the control button to open the door but he managed it. Slipping out, he found himself in a control room, where he saw a power generator sitting to the side. He could short-charge his handcuffs…

He needed his hands free if he was to amount an effective escape, but it was clear from the lack of droids rushing to stop him – or even in the control room – that he was being set up. He couldn't worry about that now, he had a chance to escape and if he succeeded, the risk would be worth it.

Moving over to the power generator, he turned his back to it and with the limited movement he had of his fingers, prised the catch off the door. He pulled it open awkwardly, revealing a set of jumbled wires. He knew this was going to hurt…

Closing his eyes, Obi-Wan bashed his chained wrists back against the open power generator. Wires broke apart under the force of the hit. This was dangerous, he was at risk of electrocuting himself, but if he could short-circuit the chains, the binders they were using, he would be able to regain control of his hands…

_This is something Anakin would do_… he briefly mused. _Seems he has rubbed off on me. _

Gritting his teeth, he pushed his wrists back once more, and shuddered as a mini-electric shock ran through him, but it worked. The cuffs sprang open as the shock short-circuited the binders. He pulled his wrists free, bringing them out from around his back, rubbing each one to get circulation back into his hands.

He reached up with his right hand, touching the Force-collar on his throat. He found the latch but there was four buttons situated next to it. He needed the correct code to open it. He sighed. He didn't have the time now to try to figure out the code. He was at risk of discovery, though his intelligence was still flaring, telling him that this was a trap and that he was walking right into it.

_I have to try. I won't sit still and let Dooku have his way with me. _

Giving up the task of trying to work out the code that would enable him to feel the Force once again, Obi-Wan quickly made his way to the door on the other-side of the room. _Having a weapon about now would be good. _

Unfortunately, Dooku didn't seem that way inclined to give him a weapon. The lack of guards only continued to prove how much of a set-up this was.

_Be wary, Kenobi! _

He moved on, quickly as he dared to down the corridor, peering around the corners. He reached another door, palmed it open and ran into a hanger. Surprise filled him as there was no one on duty.

"Something's going to go wrong, I know it…" he whispered to himself. But he had come this far. He had to go on.

There was a shuttle situated near the centre of the hanger, its landing ramp down. All the makings of a elaborated trap and he was falling right into it, but at the moment he didn't care. If he could get off this planet and to safety, he could deal with the repercussions later.

But then everything went black as the lights in the hanger went out.

He skidded to a halt in the darkness.

He couldn't see anything, he was in pitch blackness.

If he'd had the Force he'd be able to locate his way forward, his perceptions allowing him to focus on what was around him. With the collar still on, he could not even do that. Wearily, he stepped forward.

He'd only taken a few steps in the darkness when searing pain erupted from the collar around his neck. His body spasamed and his legs collapsed from under him, and he fell onto the concrete floor as a cry was pulled from his lips as he body continued to convulse as blue electric shocks rippled out from the collar and all over his body.

Obi-Wan's eyes scrunched shut with the pain and he tried to prevent more cries erupting but he couldn't. As the shocks subsided, he slowly opened his eyes.

The lights in the hanger were now back on. As he struggled to his knees, Obi-Wan saw Dooku standing in his path to the shuttle. He was flanked by two Magna-guards, and behind them was a troop of Super Battle Droids.

Obi-Wan groaned. There was no escape. He wouldn't be able to fight them without a weapon. And Dooku had the Force to subdue him, if he deigned to use it against him.

"Fool," the Sith Lord said.

"I had to try," glared Obi-Wan, feeling miserable at his lack of luck.

"I let you get this far," smirked Dooku. "But now you know I have ways of ensuring you don't escape. You are here to stay."

"I am not your servant to do as you wish with, Dooku," Obi-Wan spat.

Dooku's eyes glinted as he replied. "Not yet, you're not."

Remaining silent, Obi-Wan decided that there was no point in arguing his position. He would get free, one way or another.

"Take him back to his cell," ordered Dooku, "and this time; chain him to the wall, so he cannot attempt something like that again."

Grudgingly, Obi-Wan allowed himself to be dragged away.

* * *

Dooku watched as the prisoner was escorted back to his cell. Kenobi had acted rashly, had grown too confident that he could escape the closer he had made it to the hanger. Dooku had purposefully set this up, knowing that he could easily subdue Kenobi anytime he wished.

The Force-collar was a new generation device, in very rare supply, but enough to deceive a Jedi into believing that its only use was to supress the Force. The installation of a shock collar within the suppressor was a captor's dream.

He could control Kenobi whenever he wished and only Dooku knew the code that would release the Jedi from it and it only responded to the correct finger-prints. Even if Kenobi had managed to crack the code, the device would not have opened for him.

He considered what he should do next. What did he know about the Jedi Master?

_Plenty, thanks to the rumours of the Jedi Temple. _

Dooku had been on the cusp of leaving the Jedi Order just before his former apprentice had been killed, and it had been his death that had pushed him over the edge to leave, but he'd been in the Temple long enough to hear the rumours that had begun over the acceptance of Anakin Skywalker to be trained as a Jedi.

Qui-Gon had _rejected _Kenobi.

The young man had been ready to be Knighted, it was only a matter of time before that would have happened, yet the Council was too blind to see that. The main fact – and something Dooku knew he could use against Kenobi – was Qui-Gon's rejection of Obi-Wan.

He had done that before, when the boy had been on the cusp of being sent to the Agriculture Corps.

A slow smile spread across the Count's face. "Memories can be dreadful things, can't they?"

Yes… His mind made up, Dooku walked back to his room.

Tomorrow he would _really _begin the process in turning Kenobi.

He was looking forward to it.

**To be continued… **

**Please let me know what you think! **

**When writing the attempted escape I thought it worked well enough but I think it does come across as a little silly. But as I've tried to explain within the story, is that Dooku always knew Obi-Wan would attempt an escape and made it easy for him. **

**In the next chapter the real work begins… Hopefully will be posted soon! **

**the-writer1988**


	6. Chapter 5: Drugged Deception

**A/N) A quicker update this time because this chapter was already nearly done when I posted on Wednesday. I hope to update weekly from now on since I've only got one more week of university left to go and I've got 7 weeks of freedom, in which I've got nothing planned, so I hope by the time I return to Uni in April for the start of my 3****rd**** and final year, this story will be completed or near enough done anyway. I don't think this story will be as long as 'A Mother's Love' was. Though my plans could change.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

**Five**

The _Twilight _cruised through the debris left by _The Negotiator_, Obi-Wan's capital ship. Anakin had received a report from the technicians that they had traced two engine patterns heading away from the system in two directions.

Ahsoka was in charge of scanning for anything else that had been missed by the scanning crew, just in case it gave them some help in determining where exactly Obi-Wan had been taken. Most Jedi prisoners were allocated to Separatist fleets not far from the original position of their capture. Though they had rough intelligence of movement of the Separatist fleets, they could not be sure which one Obi-Wan's transport was bound to, and it would be folly to attack them all in an attempt to rescue him.

So far, Ahsoka's sweep of the system hadn't picked up anything they had missed. She turned back to her Master, eyeing him wearily. He was feeling different in the Force through their bond, his worry for Obi-Wan consuming his thoughts, heightening the agitation she felt along their bond.

He hadn't bothered to explain it to her, she was old enough to realise that he and Obi-Wan were closer than any other Jedi before them.

"There isn't anything to find, Master," she reported.

Anakin sighed. "I was hoping there might be another sign somewhere…"

"What are we going to do?" she asked. "The other Master will be arriving soon."

"I know," he hesitated, wondering whether it would be worth the risk to disobey the Council any further then he had already done so by not remaining with his fleet. "I can't sense Obi-Wan in the Force properly. I feel we should return to base and report back, but on the other hand, Obi-Wan relies on me to save his skin whenever he gets himself in trouble."

That was not strictly true – Obi-Wan was quite capable of rescuing himself, but Anakin liked to kid himself that his Master would always need him to rescue him.

He sighed. "R2, have you managed to calculate the areas of Separatist space that Obi-Wan may be in with the data?" He turned back to the astromech droid that had been his loyal companion since this war had started, a gift from his wife Padmé on the night of their wedding. He had given her C-3PO in return, though he wasn't sure if that had been an appropriate gift, considering how annoying the droid was turning out to be.

The little droid beeped and tootled, responding to Anakin's query. Four possible systems came onto the communication screen as R2 transmitted the data across.

"Serenno system, Galloa system, Flyntaria system and the Isen system…" repeated Anakin. "All of those systems are located in the D'Astan sector but they are spread out through the sector in two different directions…"

"Serenno is Count Dooku's home isn't it?" asked Ahsoka.

"It is… and it is heavily defended," replied Anakin, "but I would doubt Obi-Wan would be taken there."

"Why?"

"Because no other Jedi has been before," shrugged Anakin. "The Separatists have methods they go by, and taking Obi-Wan there would be out of character for them. It would be on more of a well-known Separatist planet, to gain our attention. I don't think the engine trails would end at any of these systems. I bet they'd carry on, taking him further into Separatist territory. We need to decide what system to go to, to follow the trace of any engine particles. Serenno is too obvious of a place to go and we'd be shot out the sky the moment we entered the system."

Ahsoka didn't seem convinced by his explanation.

"The best place to go, I think, would be the Isen system. It's the best place to lose a trail, throw us off the scent. It has three large asteroid belts. Yes, I think that is our best option," said Anakin.

"Because it has an asteroid belt it's the most likely place they've taken Master Kenobi through?"

"Three, Ahsoka," pointed out Anakin. "Obi-Wan is a member of the Jedi Council. They'd take him through the most dangerous system so that we can't follow. It's what I'd do anyway."

Ahsoka deigned to point out her thoughts. "But the Separatists are not _you_! You are operating on the assumption that if you had an important prisoner you would take the most risky route to avoid any chance of a rescue attempt! It doesn't automatically mean that is what the Separatists would do!" She could see his logic but she felt that since Serenno had come up as the most obvious planet, according to R2's search, then Anakin would have taken that into account

"Serenno, doesn't have a Separatist stronghold, Ahsoka. Nor do the other two systems," said Anakin, sensing her thoughts. "However Isen does, I may have forgotten to mention that. Serenno may be Count Dooku's home world and he may reside there sometimes and it may be defended by a Separatist fleet, but he is just defending his own interests and his inheritance. It's not a true Separatist political planet."

"Oh…" She hadn't known that. "I guess that seems reasonable…"

"Trust me, Ahsoka, I know what I'm doing." He fiddled with the controls. "R2, set a hyperspace route for the Isen system. Ahsoka, send a message to Admiral Yuluren and inform him of where we are going. Tell him we will await the Master at that location."

"We're not going to go back now? I thought you said you felt we had to go back?" asked Ahsoka.

"I know what I said, Ahsoka," replied Anakin, "but the Master will be arriving at my fleet quite soon. We are more useful inspecting the system and gaining more intelligence then waiting for them to arrive and then not following the leads we have uncovered."

Ahsoka couldn't argue with that logic. She knew that Anakin would take the blame for his disobedience but she had to wonder what his actions now, would have on the impact of her training. Would the Jedi Council feel he was teaching her disobedience rather than loyalty and duty to the Jedi Order and the Republic they swore to protect?

"They won't split us up," said Anakin, sensing her train of thought. "They will lecture me but they won't take me away from you, especially if my actions mean that we rescue Obi-Wan sooner than we would have done."

Ahsoka couldn't help having a small niggling worry. She turned to the communications com and composed a message to Admiral Yularen.

As soon as she sent the message, Anakin pulled the hyperspace lever back and sent the ship spiralling towards the Isen system.

_I really hope we are doing the right thing, _thought Ahsoka. She didn't want to even consider what could happen if her Master was wrong in his logical assumptions. And she knew that if anything happened to Master Kenobi, Anakin would blame himself.

* * *

The next day, Dooku strode into his prisoner's cell, finding the Jedi glaring at him.

"What do you want, Dooku?" the prisoner questioned.

"You know what I want," answered Dooku. Kenobi seemed to insist on this game, but for now he would play it, if only for amusement, and to see Kenobi's frustration rise.

"No."

"It doesn't matter whether you continue to deny it. It is inevitable, you will become my apprentice," smiled Dooku. From his pocket he pulled out a syringe, with a protective cap over the needle end.

The Jedi's eyes flicked to the needle end, his eyes slightly widening. "What is that?"

"This, my friend, is a drug called _Fever. _Quite an accurate name I'd have to say, considering the effects it causes in other people. This drug was outlawed many years ago but it is still manufactured. You may have heard of it in its original name… _Tetramecinia_."

"You can't give me that!" protested Kenobi.

"You can't stop me," replied Dooku, stepping forward towards his prisoner, his eyes glinting as he watched as the Jedi tried to shrink back against the wall. "Unless you concede to my teachings…"

Kenobi's pupils swivelled from the syringe. "You know my answer."

"Then you will have the drug, until you bow before me," said Dooku. "It is your own choice that is forcing me to do this. Ideally I'd rather not have you in a drug-addled state but since physical torture will not break you, I will have to resort to other methods…" He pulled the cap off of the needle end and approached his prisoner.

With one hand, he grabbed Obi-Wan's hair and jerked back, lifting his chin up. The Jedi tried to struggle but Dooku's grip was firm and difficult to break free from.

Carefully he administrated the drug: the drug that would aid him in his goal. Stepping back he watched his prisoner's reaction. Already he could see the drug working. Kenobi's eyes started to flick back and forth, as if he was having difficulty seeing.

From his other pocket, Dooku drew forth a controller. Pressing in a code, he waited as the projector, also installed in the cell, fired up. Into the cell came an image of Qui-Gon Jinn, it was practically life-like. Kenobi wouldn't realise it was even fake – the drug would twist his mind enough that he'd say the worst possible scenario.

The drug was working well, for as he stepped away from the hologram, the image copied his movements. "You are a failure, Obi-Wan Kenobi." The hologram repeated Dooku's words but in the voice and tone of Qui-Gon Jinn.

"_No_."

The simple denial was enough.

The fast-acting drug was already working on the Jedi. Without the Force to fight off the toxins in his blood stream, the Jedi would succumb.

He thought the projection of Qui-Gon Jinn was real. For now, those six words would be enough. Those six words uttered in the voice of his former apprentice would be the start of the breaking of his new one.

Smirking, Dooku left the cell, leaving Kenobi alone with the memories that were sure to begin tormenting him anytime soon.

He would return tomorrow, to evaluate his prisoner's progress. Step by step, Kenobi would fall, whether he wanted to or not.

* * *

The system of Isen, with its three asteroid belts, was a dangerous place to be right now. Anakin piloted the _Twilight _through the system, on the lowest engine setting possible, in the hope of avoiding detection. The trail they were following did stop in the atmosphere of the planet Isen itself, suggesting that a Separatist ship had made planet fall not that long ago for the trail to still be fresh enough.

"Do you think Obi-Wan is on Isen itself?" asked Ahsoka.

Anakin looked and felt worried. "I'm not sure… I thought they would pass through this system to somewhere else, not land here. R2 has picked up a base on the northern hemisphere of the planet." He sighed, wondering whether he had done the right thing.

"Are you doubting your decision?" queried Ahsoka.

Anakin chewed his bottom lip. "I think I may have been too hasty… This feels wrong…" He turned back to R2-D2. "Can you do a scan of the planet and tell me how many life-signs you can pick up as well as possible species cross-examination?"

"R2 can do that?" Ahsoka sounded surprised.

A small smile crossed Anakin's face. "R2 can do a lot of things normal droids cannot. I've upgraded him a lot."

"Wow," said Ahsoka. She sounded impressed.

"That's why R2 is so special to me because he's not a normal droid. He has so many uses that to lose him would be to lose a part of myself…" said Anakin. "It's the same with Obi-Wan too… If I lost him, I wouldn't be complete. I'd like that to be us one day, Ahsoka. As our bond grows I hope it becomes like the one I share with Obi-Wan."

Ahsoka didn't know what to say to that so she said: "We'll find him, Master."

"I know we will," responded Anakin.

* * *

The sane part of his mind was yelling at him to recognise the fact that Qui-Gon Jinn was dead and that he simply could not be speaking to him, yet the toxins in his system was twisting his thoughts. Logically he understood and realised that, yet he was still falling into the abyss that the drug was doing to his mind.

_You are a failure, Obi-Wan Kenobi._

Those words had never been said by Qui-Gon, ever, yet his mind was screaming at him to not believe what was in front of him, but the drug made him feel worthless, made him believe that he was a failure…

He had failed, hadn't he?

He had failed to save his Master…

Even as those thoughts tore through his mind, the drug acted, and the memories that he had let go of all those years ago, came roaring back with vengeance. Qui-Gon Jinn's death happened again and again and again…

He had failed…

He was a failure…

_No! No! No! NO! _

"It's not… I KNOW IT IS NOT REAL!" he yelled out-loud to no one in particular.

"_You failed to save me, Obi-Wan," _the voice of Qui-Gon said.

The memory of his death replayed once again in his head. He saw the Sith strike-him down, saw how helpless he was to come to his Master's aid… How he had allowed his own anger to fuel his hatred… How he had used that anger to fight back…

"_Yes, remember the anger you felt… remember how powerful it made you feel…" _said Qui-Gon.

Obi-Wan tried to blink through the haze beginning to cover his eyes. The drug was embedding itself in his system even more, controlling his very thoughts… He could no longer deny that he had – for a brief time – enjoyed that power, the feeling that he was far superior to the being that had taken the life of his Master. He had felt strong enough to defeat him…

_Don't listen to him, Obi-Wan… _

A familiar voice penetrated his thoughts, the same one that had been pulling him into the haze…

He blinked rapidly, shaking his head as much as he could, his vision becoming clearer as he sought to regain his focus. Who had said that? It couldn't have been who he had thought it was…

"_You could have saved me if you'd been powerful enough, Obi-Wan…" _the image continued to speak in front of him. _"You can save everyone if you use the power that I know is within you…" _

"NO!" panted Obi-Wan, continuing to deny it. He didn't know what to believe. The hearing of the second voice had confused him even more, urging him not to give in, but it was the same voice as the one trying to make him fall…

His head began to throb; his heart beat up in his chest, thudding against his chest wall, faster and more rapid than it should be doing. Obi-Wan began to feel dizzy, as the two voices seemed to collide together in his head, in his thoughts, trying to break through the haze that was consuming him.

"_You could have saved me… Failure that you are…" _

_I would never say a thing like that about you, my Obi-Wan. _

"No! No! NO! NONE OF IT IS TRUE!" he shouted out, as the haze broke and he felt his eyes roll back into his head as consciousness claimed him at last.

**To be continued…**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Anakin's logic is a bit iffy… but remember Obi-Wan was captured by Grievous, not Dooku as far as the Jedi are aware so they do not believe that Serenno could be the place where Obi-Wan is being held, and it is not a true Separatist planet despite being Dooku's homeworld. **

**Next chapter: **Anakin and Ahsoka get into trouble and Obi-Wan finds himself struggling to believe what is real and what is not.

**I hope to post this chapter next Saturday but I haven't even started writing it yet but hopefully it will be done! **

**Until then, **

**the-writer1988**


	7. Chapter 6: Plans Made

**A/N) A bit of a late update (by a day) the simple reason is that this chapter wasn't finished until yesterday and I wanted to check to see I was taking this story on the right path. I think it could be moving a bit fast but this story keeps expanding (in fact sitting here writing this, I've just thought of something else!) so even if it does seem to be moving fast, events are being laid now that will have prominence in the future... **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Six**

As ever, Dooku watched that day's footage from the recorder in the cell. The response Kenobi had given to the mind-numbing-confusing drug pleased him. He had succumbed quicker to unconsciousness than he had expected. It wouldn't happen so quickly the next time… his torment would last longer, it was the shock to the system that the drug caused such a quick adverse reaction to its effects intended on the recipient.

This would have been harder if Dooku hadn't been able to obtain previous recordings and holos of Qui-Gon Jinn that he could convert for his own use. He had hacked into the Jedi Order's system to obtain these before leaving the Order all those years ago. There was plenty of footage he now had in his possession and he had a skilled technician in his employ who was able to lip read the recordings – as unfortunately some of the sound had been corrupted – that he was able to understand exactly what any conversation Qui-Gon Jinn may be having. The technician had built a device from this ground-work that would allow any hologram projected of Qui-Gon to utter the words of Dooku, but in the voice of the deceased Jedi Master, which would then continue with the arranged words Dooku wanted the hologram to say.

Deception was the way of the Sith. Kenobi need to not know that none of this was real – the drug that he was under would do all the work for Dooku. He wouldn't even have to get his hands dirty, just watch and wait as the Jedi fell further into the abyss from which he sought to escape from.

It was a pity Dooku could not access the Temple archives now. There were probably recordings of Anakin Skywalker that could be used against Kenobi.

_Though…_

A thought struck him as he considered another alternative.

His spies had reported rumours of Anakin Skywalker's breech of the Jedi Code. Whenever he was on leave, Skywalker was always found to be in the apartment of Senator Padmé Amidala or on Naboo... Perhaps there was more to Skywalker's visits then met the eye… but did Kenobi already know why his former apprentice visited the Senator so often?

Was Skywalker acting against the Jedi Code? Breaking the oath he had made upon joining the Order at the tender age of nine years?

A smile pulled at his lips. If his suspicions proved correct…

Yes… he would have another advantage to dangle in front of Kenobi's eyes.

He was feeling more confident that Skywalker was at least having a relationship with the Senator. If Kenobi did not know…

_If your apprentice has been foolish enough to do this, Kenobi, what else may he have done? Could he play a part in breaking your spirit?_

* * *

Anakin remained uneasy after R2 had completed his scans of Isen. It was a system that had only recently – in the past hundred years – that had finished forming. Life was sparse on the planet Isen. Without a known native population, the Separatists had claimed it as their own world.

R2's scans had shown there was limited life down below, and the air was not breathable unless they had protective suits that would protect them from the dangers the atmosphere presented to them. Unfortunately, the _Twilight _did not appear to have any on-board, which baffled Anakin as it should have done.

This meant that they could not inspect the planet further. The atmosphere was a violent place and only a skilled pilot would be able to survive entry without crash landing. Though Anakin suited that criteria, he did not feel he was justified in taking such a risk, especially as it looked like his logic had been completely wrong.

The longer he dwindled in this system, the longer the true trail would disappear.

It seemed that the ship they had been following had probably been programmed to lead them astray and probably had not had any life on it originally – or if it had, any passengers aboard had been transferred off before the ship had made planet-fall, but there was no other recent ion trials in the system for him to pick up on, so it seemed likely that Obi-Wan's captors had not brought him this way.

There was, however, a lot of mechanical activity down on the planet, suggesting the appearance of a Separatist base. There was no fleet to protect it. The minimal life-signs on the planet were not consistent with intelligent life either, therefore Anakin's assumption had been proved wrong.

He had thought his logic was sound. To prevent rescue, why wouldn't the Separatist try to lose their pursuers by going through the most dangerous system?

He sighed. He hated himself for even convincing himself of his logic.

"What are we going to do, Master?" asked Ahsoka, wearily of how he would react considering their failure.

"We've been thrown off the trial for now," admitted Anakin, not liking that one bit. "The one thing left to us is to go back to the fleet and hope that we can still pick up any traces in the Galloa and Flyntaria systems."

"What about the Serenno system?" questioned Ahsoka. "Is that still not likely?"

Anakin chewed his bottom lip. His conclusions had already been ripped to shreds by this failure, why couldn't he be wrong about his assumptions regarding Count Dooku's homeworld too?

"It's a stronger possibility then before," he admitted. "But it is not an officially aligned planet. If Dooku holds Obi-Wan there, he will be declaring his planet's political side in this war. Obi-Wan is effectively a prisoner of war, a chip that can be bargained with … or broken if they wish to know his knowledge."

Anakin took a deep breath before continuing. "As much as I hate turning my back, it has got to the point where we need more help. With at least one other Jedi Master coming out here, we need to return to report back and revaluate our course of action."

"Well, Master, they've done one thing we didn't expect," pointed out Ahsoka. "Thrown us off the trail."

"The one thing I was hoping to avoid too," whispered Anakin in response, gloom settling down on him. He just had to believe that he hadn't lost all hope of locating his former Master. He hated himself even more for being wrong. How could he have been so stupid? He had let his pride get in the way and he was taking a big fall for his incompetence in misreading the information they had gathered.

_Just hold on, Master. We will find you._

* * *

Instead of one Jedi Master being sent, two had been dispatched. The Council had already guessed what Anakin would do. Adi Gallia and Plo Koon had arrived at the fleet's position no more than an hour before Anakin and Ahsoka docked. The two Masters were waiting for Anakin and Ahsoka as they ascended to the bridge.

Before anyone could speak, Anakin spoke up in defence of his actions. "I know what I did was wrong but I had no choice. We could lose the trail if we had delayed." He did not need to mention just yet that he had successfully done so on his own due to his foolish reasoning and decision-making.

"Yet you still ignored the Council's command," said Adi Gallia coolly. "But you did leave your fleet in position and only put yourself and your Padawan out there. You did not leave this fleet without a commander. Admiral Yularen has sufficient experience to hold on his own if need be."

"However the Council will not dismiss your actions," added Plo Koon. "Any punishment will be dealt with after we have completed our mission." The Kel Dor pointed towards the Admiral's office. "Now, please tell us what you have uncovered."

Anakin nodded and he and Ahsoka led the two Jedi Masters into the Admiral's office. He remained on the bridge as this was Jedi business that did not involve him. Once they were seated, Anakin explained to Adi and Plo Koon what they had uncovered and the mistake he had made in tracing the engine particles.

"I fear my decision may have cost us valuable time in locating Obi-Wan… Wherever General Grievous took him, it wasn't Isen," sighed Anakin, still feeling guilty over his failure.

"General Grievous isn't holding Master Kenobi," replied Adi Gallia serenely.

Anakin's head shot up. "What? How do you know?"

"Because Grievous has been hassling our fleets in other regions of space. We do not believe that Master Kenobi is still on-board his ship as his command ship has been quite forth-coming in the attacks," said Plo Koon. "We believe that Master Kenobi may have been handed over to someone else… And that these attacks are designed to distract us from the true path."

"So the trail I am following would have eventually taken me past Obi-Wan if I'd picked the right place to investigate?" asked Anakin, feeling a little better than he had done.

Adi nodded confirming Anakin's theory. "We think that is likely."

"So, where is Master Kenobi then?" asked Ahsoka. "He could be anywhere!"

"And I can't locate him in the Force either," said Anakin quickly. "He's being Force-supressed so it is difficult to even pin-point his exact location."

"You mentioned three other systems…" Adi pointed out.

He recited the names of the three remaining systems that could be possible places where Obi-Wan was being held. He also explained why he thought Serenno was the most unlikely places for Obi-Wan to be.

"On the contrary, the place he is least likely to be, is the place where he is likely to be," said Plo Koon. "This was no ordinary capture. The Separatists have not followed their usual game plan."

"So it is possible," continued Adi, "that Master Kenobi was taken to Serenno."

"And if he was, how do you propose we find that out?" asked Anakin. "Serenno has a massive Separatist fleet protecting it. And we don't have the resources to spare in trying to invade."

"If we invade we are making war on a system that is not aligned to the Separatist cause," mentioned Adi, "however the planet is still open to trade from other Separatist, neutral and Republic worlds. We can arrive on Serenno on board a transport, with forged passes and identities."

"I suppose this is where you are going to say that I have to stay here?" predicted Anakin, with his arms crossed against his chest, in slight annoyance.

"That is why I am here," said Plo Koon. "I will be relieving you of your command. Your bond with Master Kenobi could come in useful. The Council only banned you from running off while this fleet had no other commander. You failed to listen to the words of Master Windu."

"I was told to not leave my post," responded Anakin, though he had already broken that condition set down by one of the most senior Masters.

"Master Windu also said that you would aid the Jedi Master with their investigation," pointed out Adi, a slight smile on her face.

Anakin's eyes widened. "He always intended on me going with you?"

"Of course. You have the closest bond to Master Kenobi. If anyone can track him, it is you," pointed out Adi. "It was a test, designed to determine your loyalty to the Republic. I fear your independence streak might affect the progress of your Padawan… especially if she picks up some of your ways. The war is more important than one man's life."

Plo leaned forward in his chair. "You failed the test, Skywalker. Your attachment clouds your mind. A Jedi has no attachment."

Anakin felt anger stirring within him at that pronouncement. He knew he had a duty to the Republic, but if they were always going to allow him to leave the fleet anyway, why was it such a problem that he had disobeyed orders? He had left the fleet in the command of a very capable Admiral who had plenty of experience. A Jedi was not always needed. He felt like walking out of the room but he realised that he would just make things worse.

Instead he forced himself to grate out: "I know that the Republic's safety is more important than Obi-Wan's life. I am not like other Jedi, Master's. I was raised by my mother –" something welled up in him as he mentioned her. She was dead now, killed by the Tusken Raiders on Tatooine. "- I've known love where other Jedi have not. It is not easily squashed or forgotten. Unless you have these memories, none of you will truly understand how I feel." He raised his eyes, determined to make his point honestly and bravely. "Sometimes emotions and attachments can be good for a Jedi. That is something that the Council forgets." He glanced at Ahsoka. "Both of you have had Padawans. That is attachment, whether you believe it or not. A Master will do anything for his Padawan, even in the direst of circumstances. It is rare that on a dangerous mission that Padawan's are left behind – their Master's do anything they can to save them."

"An elaborate speech, young Skywalker," praised Plo Koon. "You are correct in your assertions but Obi-Wan is not your apprentice. Your loyalty is to Ahsoka and to the Republic."

Adi crossed her arms across her chest. "However we still need your aid. Master Koon is perfectly capable of handling a fleet until the duration of this mission is over." She leaned forward expectantly. "I will warn you that we have been given a two-week search time. If, by the end of it, Master Kenobi has not been located, we will assume he is dead, as we do for all the Jedi captured after that time-limit."

"And you will abide by that rule," finished Plo Koon.

It was a well-known that Jedi prisoners were either publicly executed within two weeks of their capture or used to bait other Jedi to their rescue... and if captured for information, most died under torture, unless rescued before. The Council was assuming – that since Obi-Wan's trial was cold – that he was to be executed within two weeks. Anakin didn't like that but he kept his opinions to himself, realising that if he spoke he might be pulled off the search completely.

"Yes, Master," he bowed.

Adi moved off. "Come, Skywalker, we need to get our identities."

* * *

Flashes of the future flicked in the Force: Obi-Wan with his eyes yellow, Anakin with his eyes yellow… The two Jedi fighting each other…

"_You never trusted me! Even after all the things I've done for you!" _

"_I've always trusted you…" _

"_Then why didn't you tell me?" _

Yoda emerged from the trance, feeling shaken by what he had seen. The Chosen One and his former Master fighting one another… as if their very lives depended on it…

What he had seen could not be undone. He would have to seek counsel with a dear friend, for if what he saw was an omen of the future that was to come to pass, then they had to prevent it in any way possible.

* * *

Obi-Wan shivered in his cell. He could barely keep his eyes open as the drug coursed through his body. Dooku had given him another dose, no more than thirty minutes ago. In the few hours he had been sane, he had realised that the Qui-Gon he had been seeing was a manipulation of Dooku's.

The problem was, when the drug was working, he was lost to its workings, because of the confusing affects it had on him.

Even now the hologram in front of him perpetuated to be Qui-Gon again.

"_I never wanted you, Obi-Wan. You were too dangerous, too angry to be a Padawan. It was a mistake to train you… I might still be alive if it wasn't for you…" _

Guilt appeared to be its strong point.

"It's not true… It's not true…"

_No it isn't true. Fight it. _

"_You are falling, you already showed your attachments to others when you left the Order years ago. You failed me then, and you failed me on Naboo. And you fail me now." _

In his fogged brain, Obi-Wan began to remember. The memories flashed into his mind-sight.

He saw himself fighting Bruck Chun in the Room of a Thousand Mountains. Instantly the hologram of Qui-Gon seemed to latch onto that memory. How was it possible that the hologram could know what he was seeing? He didn't have time to dwell on it as the words struck a chord with his soul.

"_You could have saved that child if you'd tried harder. You cannot save anyone. Who have you ever saved? No one…Not even Cerasi, or Siri… You never saved Anakin either. I saved him. He resents you for not being me… You have anger… I should never have chosen you as my apprentice… I should never have let you seep into my conscience. You are a failed legacy of mine… just like Xanatos was." _

Obi-Wan shook his head desperately. He saw again and again Qui-Gon's rejection of him the first time when he had been sent to Bandomeer, when his hopes of being a Jedi had been crushed.

He had failed to save so many people…

"_You are a failure… You are a failure… You are a failure…" _

The words repeated over and over, cascading through his brain.

And then another voice, Dooku's voice became apparent. "I can show you how to not be a failure, Obi-Wan…"

Every failure that he had ever participated in flashed through his memory…

"_It is your fault that the galaxy is at war… Spy that you are…" _

"It's not true… It's not true…" he muttered, his head feeling fuzzy again, as the images continued to flash through, combined with the words of Qui-Gon. He could not even determine how his former Master could know about the war…

The drug continued its work, pulling apart the memories, one by one, as the voice of his Master resonated through his head, coupled with the occasional jibes by Dooku's voice, swaying him to an unforgiveable choice…

* * *

"You have been keeping something from me, my apprentice," accused Sidious, even before Dooku had bowed before the holo-image of his Sith Master.

"I do not know what you mean, my Master," replied Dooku, keeping his head bowed before the hologram.

"I have received word from the Jedi Council that Master Kenobi is missing. His fleet was attacked by Separatist warships. I have already spoken to General Grievous who informed me that _you _issued the orders, despite my own orders for you to leave the line of defence unbroken for now." Sidious was not pleased.

Dooku almost blanched. He had known that Sidious would find out about his deception. "My lord…"

"Do not attempt to offer me your excuses," hissed the Sith Lord. "You have disobeyed me in attempt to overthrow me."

Dooku felt his anger rising. He knew of Sidious' goal to try to secure Skywalker to the dark side. "Just like you try to replace me with a younger model," he retorted.

"You will kill Kenobi, otherwise I will do so," stated Sidious angrily.

"Kenobi's fall may make it easier to secure Skywalker," said Dooku. He knew he was treading on dangerous ground. Sidious didn't have the time to leave the capital to ensure Kenobi's death and anyone who he sent to carry it out, would die swiftly under Dooku's blade.

And Sidious knew that.

There was a long silence. "Mere torture will not break that Jedi. He is too indoctrinated within the Jedi Order."

"Physical torture is not my chosen method," responded Dooku. "If he continues to ignore my tempting offers then he will be _eliminated_, you have my word on that, my Lord."

Still Sidious stayed silent.

Dooku was almost afraid to speak.

Sidious finally spoke. "He may live… for now."

Dooku felt a breath of relief wash through his chest. "I will not fail, my Master."

* * *

Sidious sat back in his chair, contemplating his conversation with his apprentice. He could not afford to have Dooku turn on him at this point. Seeds were still being planted to ensure the fall of the Jedi and the Republic and Skywalker was not yet ripe enough to become a Sith. He still had growth.

Kenobi had been spared simply because Sidious still needed Dooku. He would let him play with that Jedi…

_And if Kenobi does fall, then he will die by Skywalker's hand. And that will be the catalyst for his own fall. _

A small smile touched his lips as his hands came together. He had a galaxy to ruin first before Skywalker would be his.

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think! **

**A few things I should say about this chapter: **

**- First Anakin is off to Serenno - a big turn-around from what happened previously but that does not mean he is going to find it easy to find Obi-Wan. **

**- Secondly Anakin having a test to complete... it seemed to fit that the Council would test his loyalty in this way, and I think it works in this context, its all part of the journey that Anakin will be taking in this fic. **

**- Yoda's meditation - stay tuned, it comes in much later in the fic... providing I stick to what I hope to happen. **

**- Sidious giving Dooku permission to keep Obi-Wan alive for now I know is unusual but at the moment Anakin isn't ripe enough to turn and he still needs Dooku and killing Obi-Wan would just ensure Dooku's disloyalty. Sidious can't afford that right now. **

**- We are still only in about the first year of the war, and Obi-Wan has been a prisoner for roughly three-four days. **

**Next chapter: **Anakin betrays Obi-Wan.

**Will be posted soon! **

**Until then,**

**the-writer1988**


	8. Chapter 7: Secret Discovered

**A/N) And here is the next chapter in which Dooku reveals to Obi-Wan one of Anakin's secrets.**

* * *

**Seven**

"Any second thoughts, Obi-Wan?" Dooku walked into the cell, his eyes focused on the chained figure in front of him. The prisoner looked up at him, his eyes dull and almost feverish, but the drug was no longer circulating his system. The image of Qui-Gon had long since disappeared – Dooku would reinstate that when he delivered the Jedi's next dose of the drug.

"No…" his captive whispered. His captive's voice was weak, almost hoarse. After all he had heard the denials coming from his prisoner… almost screams in every possible way.

"I thought not…" Dooku reached into his pocket and pulled out a smaller hologram device. "Perhaps this might show how much your apprentice seeks to betray you…"

"Anakin would never betray me," hissed Kenobi, his eyes glinted ever so slightly.

"Would he not?" mused Dooku. "Perhaps his visits to a certain Senator mean something more?"

Dooku would enjoy this. His contact's peruse – or rather hacking into - of certain cameras within the Senator's apartment had provided an interesting answer to his thoughts about Skywalker and Amidala. What he had thought was merely a simple disregard of the rules, was more of a complete violation of the Jedi Order's code on attachments.

Anakin Skywalker was married.

To Senator Amidala.

He suspected Kenobi did not know. Kenobi was such a stickler for the rules that Skywalker would be afraid to tell him, to not trust him… Once again Skywalker would prove to be Kenobi's downfall. This revelation would only cost Kenobi is trust in others…

Betrayal seemed to rock Kenobi wherever he went.

First Qui-Gon, then Skywalker… the two people that the Jedi Master cared for most would prove to be his undoing.

Dooku steeled himself up for the revelation, basking in the glory of what was to come. "Did you know that your former apprentice is married?"

* * *

"Did you know that your former apprentice is married?"

That question rocked Obi-Wan's mind-set. "It can't be true…"

"Oh it is," Dooku continued, smiling widely at the obvious shock that characterised Obi-Wan's features.

Though he had suspected a relationship of some sort, he had not considered that Anakin would ever go that far. But how did Dooku know? He eyed the device Dooku held in his left hand. Clearly the Count was confident in his revelation that this was true and no fabrication he had said to manipulate Obi-Wan.

"Perhaps this will show that I only speak the truth," said Dooku, stepping back after he placed the hologram device on the floor. "Perhaps I should be thankful for the Chancellor's proclamation that security feeds within Senator's apartments cannot be deleted for ten years whilst this war lasts…"

_What have you done, Anakin? _

Obi-Wan had always had suspicions that Anakin had a close friendship with the Senator but there must be something to the marriage that was making Dooku so gleeful. If Anakin really was married as Dooku attested to then he had broken the most sacred rules of the Jedi… He had betrayed the entire Order…

_And he didn't trust me enough to tell me… _

That hurt.

An image of Anakin and Padmé appeared in the cell, within her apartment on Coruscant. There was a date in the corner of the image, indicating that the feed had not been tampered with. It was from just after Padmé had returned to Coruscant from an extended leave after the start of the Clone Wars. Anakin was embracing Padmé, kissing her gently on the lips.

"_Oh Ani…" The Senator wrapped her arms around the young Jedi. "I'm so happy to see you." _

"_My wife… my love…" He kissed her again. "It still feels strange to call you that." _

"_You'll get used to it," whispered Padmé. _

"_If I had more time with you…" he said in return. "I don't regret this… I don't regret marrying you… How could I ever regret this? To have these moments in my life…" _

They were kissing again, more passionately, as if they were intimidate lovers who hadn't seen in each other in months, but Obi-Wan knew that Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker hadn't seen each other for two weeks, which wasn't that unusual for a Senator. The hologram continued and he wondered when Dooku would stop it, for he didn't have any desire to see what was going to happen next… He knew… The way they were kissing, focusing intently on one another, it could mean only one thing…

But Dooku didn't seem to want to stop this recording.

Suddenly Padmé broke away from Anakin's touches, as his hand caressed her cheek.

"_Ani…" _

"_What is it?" he asked, looking almost saddened that his wife had pulled away from him. _

"_I almost told my parents…" she said. "I wanted to tell them my news… I feel so lost without being able to talk to them about it." She held Anakin a step away from her. _

"_We can't trust anyone, Padmé," replied Anakin. "No one is on our side." His head dropped. "If I could trust Obi-Wan, I would… But I can't…" _

Anakin didn't trust him. Obi-Wan's heart clenched hard. How could Anakin not trust him? What had he done to deserve to be deceived? He would have kept Anakin's secret, not because he agreed with it, but because of his love for this man, for the man he thought was his best friend…

The hologram disappeared but Obi-Wan didn't notice.

Dooku turned to face the Jedi Master. "Now you know that your apprentice never trusted you. How does that feel, Obi-Wan? Do you feel betrayed? Worthless? Everything you put into that boy has led to this… His utter belief that you are a lackey of the Council, that you would betray him… and yet… you may be a loyal Jedi, but you are loyal to those that you care for…" Dooku's eyes glinted. "And you care for Anakin Skywalker…"

"I know I shouldn't," murmured Obi-Wan, his eyes looking down to the floor.

"Because it hurts to be betrayed doesn't it?"

Obi-Wan didn't need to answer; Dooku already knew what he was feeling.

"Like Qui-Gon before him, Anakin Skywalker betrayed you too." Dooku moved forward, reaching into his pocket as he did so pulling out a syringe, the shining liquid drug in its injector. "I don't have to use this… I would trust you, Obi-Wan… We can help one another… All you have to do is trust me…"

Obi-Wan chose not to answer. He should have said 'never' but the revelations had opened his mind to the possibility that just maybe Dooku was right. He didn't even attempt to struggle as the liquid was injected and the visions and the hologram activated again.

But before he was fully under the drugs influence, he murmured, just loud enough for Dooku to hear: "The Sith Lord – who is he?"

Then his mind was lost.

* * *

Dooku felt strangely pleased about that last session with the Jedi Master. The revelation of Anakin Skywalker's betrayal and distrust he had of his former Master had strengthened the process that Kenobi was on. Kenobi hadn't even answered back to him when he had made his offer to him again.

Progress.

Slowly but surely he was making progress. Kenobi was beginning to entertain the notion that Dooku had a point and that quite possibly listening to him might be worth his time. This was only further highlighted with Kenobi's last question.

Kenobi hadn't believed him on Geonosis when Dooku had revealed that a Sith Lord was in control of the Senate, but now there was an element there, something within the Jedi that wanted to know. That left the Sith with a choice himself. Should he betray his Master and reveal his identity? Would the revelation that the Supreme Chancellor was a Sith push Obi-Wan Kenobi further into Dooku's grasp?

_And yet Skywalker regular takes counsel from him… _

As he thought that, another idea flowed into him. He had acquired tapes of Skywalker and Amidala… perhaps there was a chance there might be some of the Chancellor influencing Skywalker…? That would be triple the betrayal Kenobi would have suffered in his life-time.

But would this work? Were things turning in Dooku's favour?

Reaching his own room, Dooku settled himself on the floor by his bunk, crossing his legs and centring himself in the Force. He treaded into the dark side, immersing himself within its power and the beauty it offered. Here the Force felt stronger, and pointed him towards the centre of a maelstorm that seemed to reverberate outwards, consuming everything.

This is what Sidious had shown him long ago – the dark side sweeping out and consuming everything in its path. This power, this majesty that it represented had shown Dooku the potential he had. It had been this that had aided his decision in finally succumbing to the teachings Sidious had offered.

This power had shown him the future, the dominion of the Sith.

Now he posed a question, so settled was he in the realm of darkness; that he opened up his mind, his desires and what he hoped for and saw in the potential that Obi-Wan Kenobi carried within him.

_Show me his path… his future… _

The dark clouds parted, drawing Dooku in further. Images flashed before him, images that he couldn't decipher, fog clouding his vision as he sought to see what the Force offered him.

Finally he saw himself standing in the Senate, with Obi-Wan at his side. Then it flashed to Anakin standing side-by-side with Sidious, facing Dooku and Kenobi across a vast area of space. Lightsabers clashed and friends and enemies fought. There was another flash of light and those images dissolved before the dizziness of the sudden movement ceased and Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared, dressed in black, his eyes dark but sad.

He stood face-to-face with Anakin Skywalker.

"_Why are you doing this?"_

"_You never…" _Dooku could not discern the last words.

And the two fought.

Dooku could sense that this confrontation would determine the fate of the galaxy. Whoever won would have the Republic in their hands. Then the images vanished, the Force clouding over once again, forbidding him from seeking any further. Still, he had an answer to his question.

Kenobi would join him.

The Force willed it.

* * *

Anakin held in his hand the identity card that characterised him as a merchant from Selonia. Adi was his business partner. Ahsoka was staying behind under the supervision of Plo Koon, partly because they felt it would be too suspicious to have a Togrutan child with the people that Anakin and Adi were hoping to pass off as. Adi, as a near human build could pass off as a human, so her headdress was obscured by a run of long black hair that flowed down to her hips. Make-up had been applied and she wore bright red lipstick. She wore a traditional business dress, with her lightsaber tucked into a pouch she wore around her belt.

Anakin, on the other-hand, had had his usual blonde streaks dyed brown, darkening his natural colour and his pupils had been changed to brown. A fake scar had been applied to his cheek, making the one that Ventress had given him across his eye, even longer then it was. His hair had been given extensions and pulled up into a pony-tail giving him the hippy look. Some of his brown locks still tumbled into his face, however it gave a riveting effect and when Ahsoka saw him she had a double-take, not recognising him at first as her Jedi Master. It also helped that his face had, had tattoos painted onto his left cheek, running up into his forehead that helped to disguise his basic features.

They were standing in the hanger-bay at the bottom of a ramp that led into a registered transport that belonged to Eruz Enterprises, a company that specialised in robotics. This was a legitimate company that the Republic knew the Separatists were involved in, and the Jedi understood they had designs on going to Serenno. Adi and Anakin were to play that part, and they hoped that they might be able to orchestrate a meeting with Dooku. This would allow them to rescue Obi-Wan if he was indeed on Serenno.

"Dagon Dagger," murmured Ahsoka, "why that name?"

Anakin shrugged. "I didn't pick it." He glanced at the photo of his disguised self. "I certainly don't recognise myself at all. I almost look like a pirate instead of a respectable businessman… but then this company isn't very respectable." His appearance had been based off a known member of Eruz Enterprises.

"Wish I was coming with you," said Ahsoka sadly.

"So do I," replied Anakin. "I get the feeling we're going to need you. But we can't risk it. Your head-tails make disguising you a lot more difficult than making Adi and I seem matched. Serenno is mostly a human-populated planet. Besides, I hope we won't need a fast getaway, otherwise I feel we're going to need you to run the blockade for us. You've got enough piloting skills that would help you succeed on that account."

Ahsoka almost blushed at the praise. "Thanks, Master."

Anakin hefted the pack of supplies onto his back. "We'll be leaving soon… We've got to go out of our way to come back in so our origin is not suspected."

"Good luck," smiled Ahsoka lightly. "I hope you find him."

"Me too…" Anakin turned and headed up the ramp.

"May the Force be with you, Master," whispered Ahsoka as the ramp ascended back inside and the door slid shut. Turning away, she made her way back to the bridge.

* * *

_Don't listen to the voices, Obi-Wan… _

The voice of Qui-Gon Jinn was in his head once more, but his image wasn't in front of him. The recording of Anakin and Padmé continued to replay over and over… the distrust Anakin had of him sinking further and further into his soul, harming him ever further.

In his drug-addled state, Obi-Wan was aware of the voice. The betrayal of Anakin sat deeply with him, and yet not even the calm voice of Qui-Gon could seep through it. That man had betrayed him to. He had sought to replace him with Anakin.

_I never intended to replace you with Anakin. You were ready to take the trials. You proved that. _

"Don't lie to me!" he yelled out, the drug causing him to shiver restlessly in his chains. "Anakin betrayed me! And so did you!"

The voice didn't speak again after that.

It was when things finally fell silent in his head that the hologram of Qui-Gon appeared once more in his cell.

"No," whimpered Obi-Wan, "I don't want to see him. All he does is speak lies!"

If he could have turned his head away he would have done.

Qui-Gon's mouth opened, words tumbled out but so pronounced. "If your own apprentice could not trust you, how could the Jedi Council ever do so?"

Obi-Wan almost stilled from the accusation. He was trusted wasn't he? They respected him as a member, didn't they?

"Do they? You do as they bid. This is further proof that I picked the wrong apprentice. No apprentice of mine would ever bow to the whims of the Jedi Council without question. They betrayed you too. They did not believe you were ready to become a Knight all those years ago, so how could they trust you now?"

And the terror began again.

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think! Thank you for the comments so far! :)**

**Poor Obi-Wan. He's getting terribly confused when under the influence of the drug. On one hand he's got a manipulation of Qui-Gon controlled by Dooku whispering in his ear, and on the other he's got a voice that may just be Qui-Gon trying to defend and help him in his torment. This story seems to be expanding as I write it as I only intended this story to be about 12 chapters, but the introduction of the visions that both Yoda and Dooku have seen have extended this story. I'm just hoping that what is coming up works. **

**Chapter 8 will be posted next Saturday. **

**the-writer1988**


	9. Chapter 8: Revelations

**It's been an interesting week for Star Wars fans. Well, it has for me anyway. The source of my return to Star Wars fandom a year ago has now been cancelled (catching an episode of The Clone Wars sparked my interest in the series and I went out and bought the three seasons that were available then) and since then I've been back into Star Wars, enjoying it once more… I am now disappointed that the decision has been made to end the series, however I can hope that at least the show may get a wrap-up with the bonus content. **

**Le sigh… **

**I had a bit of trouble writing this chapter, it just wouldn't end, until I finally realised the perfect place to end it. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Eight**

Sometime during the night when unconsciousness had claimed him, Obi-Wan was moved from his cell. When he woke from the darkness, in a soft bed, he felt confused as to his surroundings as he had not expected to be free from the cell or from his chains. The first thing that hit him was the feelings he was now aware of, brought on by the revelations and his past. He knew he shouldn't feel betrayed or upset but he did. He wasn't even under the influence of the drug at the moment, yet the feelings were there. He didn't feel so pure either, as if his very light had been tainted. What was happening to him?

As he looked around his surroundings, he found himself in a small bedroom. It was quite bare and there was no window, but there was a desk and a meditation mattress on the floor. He was surprised at his new location. Why wasn't he in his cell, still trussed up?

"I thought that you deserved some kindness."

Obi-Wan turned his head to the right to see Dooku standing in the doorframe.

"I want you to trust me, Obi-Wan. Treating you like a prisoner isn't going to achieve that, is it?"

Obi-Wan hated to admit that he was right. "And the drug you've been giving me?"

"I won't be using it on you again. It was necessary for you to be able to see that I did not betray you. You wish to know the identity of my Master, do you not?" continued Dooku.

Obi-Wan quirked his head to the side. "It might be of interest to me, yes. I didn't believe you before," he bit his lip. Saying this was hard; to admit that Dooku was right… "But now I concede that you may be right about a Sith Lord being in control of the Senators. This war… It's been going on long enough. There are too many questions that need answering."

"And you wish for it to end, don't you?" enquired Dooku, moving towards the bed.

Obi-Wan nodded. "You know things about our movements that only the top tiers of the Republic government are allowed to know. Some of the things you know of happening only the Chancellor and the Jedi Council are aware of." But as he said that, a horrifying realisation struck him, however he was careful not to give thought to that lingering consideration, instead focusing his mind on Dooku's next words, which only seemed to confirm his sudden suspicions as to who the Sith Lord might be.

"Your apprentice regularly consults a Sith Lord for advice. Did you know that, Master Kenobi?"

"Palpatine?" he said carefully. "He's your Master?" Obi-Wan sat up now, carefully trying to control his features, however he knew that shock had registered in his eyes. The only person who Anakin had gone to for advice ever since he had joined the Order was Palpatine, he had to be the other half of the Sith. The ramifications of what this could mean were enormous for the Jedi Order and the Republic.

"I told you that a Sith Lord was in control of hundreds of Senators. You have never considered the Chancellor… always thought he was the puppet," smiled Dooku. "The Chancellor is betraying the Republic, the Jedi and its citizens. Once again you are being betrayed, Obi-Wan. How many people does that make now? Three, four? By working alongside the Sith, the Jedi are betraying themselves, and their very principles without even realising it."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "He can't be the Sith Lord… He just can't… We'd sense it! Anakin would sense it!"

"Who says he doesn't already know about the Chancellor?" probed Dooku. "Your apprentice doesn't trust you with his secret marriage… Why would he trust you about Palpatine's true identity? There are many things that Skywalker has shared with my Master who has in turn told me. I know things about Anakin Skywalker that you would never dream possible. Your apprentice has seen the dark side, and he _liked _it."

Obi-Wan felt anger building within him. How dare Dooku implicate Anakin! The young man may feel that he couldn't trust Obi-Wan, but that didn't automatically mean he knew of the Sith Lord's true identity. It also didn't explain why he would keep this a secret from the Council. Anakin's life was to destroy the Sith, not join them!

"Skywalker tells my Master lots of things. Things that even you don't know about," continued Dooku smoothly, pulling out the chair at the desk and sitting down in it. "You gave him free reign to see the Chancellor whenever he wanted: you've practically given him to the Sith Lord who seeks his power." Dooku leaned forward. "In fact I have it on very good authority that he is intending on replacing me with Skywalker. He already has his claws into Skywalker: he will turn him; that I assure you. The Jedi Order will fall and it will be your fault, Obi-Wan. But you can prevent this!"

"What makes you so different from your Master?" said Obi-Wan coldly. "Instead of seeking to turn the Chosen One, you seek to turn me."

"I do not wish to turn you, Obi-Wan," replied Dooku. "You can still be a Jedi and work with me. Let me share my knowledge with you! I have trusted you with the identity of my Master! I value you, unlike your own apprentice or your own Master! They both abandoned you!"

"Then why do you want to make me your apprentice?" he shot back angrily. "You had me captured for that very purpose! Everything you've done to me is to make me join you!" Obi-Wan pulled his legs out of the comfy bed and stood up. "This is just another avenue for you to explore! Forget it, Dooku, I will not join you! And you've given me what I wanted to know!"

"But you can't leave," replied Dooku darkly.

Obi-Wan challenged him with a glare, slowly moving towards the still open doorway. He knew this was folly but he didn't care. He didn't even make it half-way across the room before his knees buckled beneath him and the shock-collar around his neck kicked in. He had forgotten about that accursed contraption.

Shocks ripped through his body and his body jerked rapidly.

"You will only leave your captivity when you see the light. Work with me, Obi-Wan, and we can save the Republic, the Jedi and most of all, save your apprentice," tempted Dooku.

Obi-Wan lifted his head from the floor. "No."

Dooku got to his feet and strolled towards the door. "Then I'm afraid you will have to return to your cell and continue to suffer. I gave you the identity of my Master and I was prepared to make you comfortable. All I asked for in return was your aid. Your pain is your own fault, Obi-Wan. Remember that as you suffer."

"Nice to see that you are still breaking promises," hissed Obi-Wan through his teeth, his eyes mere slits as he watched as Dooku departed the room. A squad of Super Battle Droids soon arrived to take him back to his cell, and back to the world of never-ending nightmares and hallucinations.

* * *

"Anakin, will you stop pacing? Your irritation through the Force is quite jarring," said Adi, as she in-put the next set of co-ordinates into the navi-computer.

Anakin stopped, placing his hands on the back of his seat. He was frustrated, annoyed with the length of the journey they needed to take to avoid any suspicion as to where they had come from. If Obi-Wan indeed was on Serenno, Dooku would have officials on the look-out for any spacecraft trajectory. If they tracked their ship back to Republic space then their whole mission would be in jeopardy.

It was therefore essential for them to arrive into the system far from Republic space, which meant entering hostile territory and broadcasting as traders. They had so far jumped into four different systems, one of them they had been boarded but passed security checks and were allowed to continue on their way.

That delay had frustrated Anakin further however he did understand that they had to be careful when trying to get to Serenno. He didn't have to like it however.

"How long will it be before we get to Serenno?" he asked.

Adi glanced at the route they were following. "Another sixteen hours at least."

Anakin groaned. "Great! If Obi-Wan is not on Serenno, all this jumping out the way is going to be a pointless waste of time! We're in Separatist space now, why can't we just go straight to Serenno from here?" He already knew the answer to that, but it was difficult to accept.

"The Separatists guard their borders to the extreme, Skywalker," answered Adi serenely. "There are certain points we must pass before we are even granted access to Serenno's atmosphere. That is how difficult it is to get onto a planet undetected. And Dooku is making sure Serenno is well protected, despite that planet not officially being a part of the Confederacy. If we act rashly we will fail our mission and we will not get a chance to even land."

Anakin's shoulders drooped. "I just wish there was an easier way then going so far out of our way."

Adi smiled gently. "So do I, but if Obi-Wan is on Serenno, he'll be waiting for us, waiting for us to rescue him."

* * *

Dooku did not drug him when he was returned to the cell. Nor was he chained to the wall. Obi-Wan sat back in the corner, arms wrapped around his legs, struggling to keep warm. He felt exhausted from the lack of sleep, and his mind whirled from the revelations he had been told.

First, the one that hurt the most was Anakin not trusting him enough to tell him about his marriage. He had always trusted Anakin, had always relied on him, why hadn't Anakin done the same? Obi-Wan may be a stickler for the rules but he did understand that Anakin was different from every other Jedi in the Order.

"I suppose that is my fault for not letting Anakin see that I cared. I tried to help him by reiterating the Jedi Code, and I alienated him instead. He couldn't trust me because I never gave him a reason to. I thought we were close…"

What else had Anakin done that Obi-Wan didn't know about? He now feared what Anakin had done on Tatooine when he had returned to his home just prior to the outbreak of the Clone Wars. All that Obi-Wan knew of that situation was that Shmi Skywalker, Anakin's mother had died then. He had sensed his Padawan's aura after that, a darkened edge glinted around him, consuming him, but after his return from Naboo, his aura was light again, shining brightly as if it had never been tinted.

"And that's when he got married…" That explained the change in Anakin's aura. His marriage had cancelled out the negative effect that Tatooine had, had on him. But what had happened on the desert planet? What had darkened Anakin's Force presence? Obi-Wan feared to know the answer. He had an ominous feeling that Dooku knew. Would this lead to further betrayal and mistrust on Anakin's part?

Was there anyone he could trust?

_You can trust in Anakin and you can trust in me. Trust in your memories, not the twisted truths that Dooku is giving you. _

Qui-Gon's voice was back, but not the hologram that Dooku used against him. The other voice… the other voice that should not be there… the voice that unnerved him. It was the voice that wanted to defend his former Master from the damage he had procured upon young Obi-Wan. How could he trust this voice?

_I am not trying to deceive you, Obi-Wan. I cannot yet take physical shape but I am here to help you. Don't let Dooku win. Don't trust him. _

"Qui-Gon is dead," muttered Obi-Wan. "Whoever or whatever you are, even if you are real and you are somehow speaking to me from beyond the grave you still betrayed me. You still betrayed the trust I put in you to train me to be a Jedi." If he could have dropped his head even lower he would have done. "You wanted Anakin, but you didn't want me! You _betrayed _me! Just like Anakin has!"

_You were ready… _

"And you didn't want me in the first place. I nearly lost my future because of you!"

_But I still took you on. I still trained you because I misjudged you and I learnt that you truly deserved to be a Jedi. You impressed me, Obi-Wan. _

"Until you found Anakin," replied Obi-Wan bitterly. "Perhaps it would have been better if I'd died on Naboo. Anakin would have the Master he wanted, and not the spare part. You would be able to train the apprentice you wanted, and I wouldn't be a burden to anyone!"

He knew he sounded selfish, more like a child then a respectable Jedi Master, but at this point he simply didn't care.

Everything was building up. He was hungry and thirsty and above all else he was exhausted; tired from the mental struggle he was forced to bear. "I've tried… I really have tried with Anakin… And yet, despite everything we've been through he won't trust me! If he married Senator Amidala, what else is he hiding from me?"

"Quite a few things, Master Kenobi." Count Dooku entered his cell. "Would you like to know?"

Obi-Wan turned his gaze upon the Sith Lord. Tired and exhausted as he was, he realised that Dooku was using this to gain his obedience, to try to turn him, to convince him to betray those that he held dear. Despite Qui-Gon and Anakin's own betrayals, how could he do such a thing in return? But Dooku had revealed the identity of the Sith Lord, if he hadn't been lying about it…

Dooku seemed content to watch Obi-Wan muse over the offer of learning more about his former Padawan's transgressions, however.

He couldn't help but feel curious over what else Anakin had done. What could be worse than Anakin breaking the Jedi code in the worst possible way? What else could Dooku shock him with? He glanced up at the Sith Lord. Dooku's expression surprised him. There was sadness there, almost pity for what he knew and what his prisoner didn't.

His curiosity flared even more.

Much as he hated himself for this, if he ever was rescued, would Anakin trust him enough to tell him the truth of his marriage if Obi-Wan asked? Would he deny it? If Obi-Wan pressed him for the truth about Tatooine would he acquiesce?

_If he can't trust me enough to tell me he got married, why would he tell me the truth about Tatooine? _Obi-Wan sighed.

He didn't know who to trust.

_You cannot trust Dooku. _

There was that voice again, mimicking Qui-Gon, as it had been doing for the past few days, always seeking to defend him and Anakin and steer Obi-Wan away from Dooku's influence.

"But he has answers." The reasoning was clear in Obi-Wan's mind.

He still wasn't entirely convinced that Chancellor Palpatine was the Sith Lord but there was evidence that supported this. If Palpatine was the Sith and he did have designs on Anakin, then he might be able to unearth any marriage document that Anakin and Padmé Amidala may have signed to legitimise their marriage. After all, as Chancellor of the Republic and the former Senator of Naboo, he would have contacts within all aspects of the Nabooian hierarchy.

_Palpatine may be the Sith Lord, but turning against your Padawan isn't going to help. It will only ensnare him more. Listen to me, stay true to the Jedi. Dooku does not have your best interests at heart. He will use you and he will destroy your soul. _It was as if the voice could hear what he was thinking.

"Anakin will never trust me," answered Obi-Wan quietly. "You've betrayed me too. I can't trust what you say either."

_Obi-Wan. _

"Don't!" snapped Obi-Wan angrily. "Don't. Talk. To. Me."

The voice fell silent.

If he had access to the Force, Obi-Wan was certain he would feel satisfaction from Dooku's presence. The Sith Lord already knew what his decision was; it was one that would please him.

But Obi-Wan had to know the truth; he had to know what else Anakin was hiding from him. He didn't know that Anakin would tell him if he was confronted. Anakin had always denied things in the past, why would he change that now?

Slowly, he raised his head and prepared himself for the cold, hard truth of Anakin's deeds. Obi-Wan locked gazes with the Count. "Tell me."

**To be continued…**

**Please let me know what you think! Thank you to everyone who has left comments! It's lovely to read that you are all enjoying this story so far! :)**

**Originally I didn't plan on Obi-Wan finding out Palpatine's true identity but it seemed to work here as Dooku is trying to get Obi-Wan on his side… As you can see Obi-Wan is cracking… It may seem a short time for him to do so but he's learnt a lot and had to cope with the 'voices' and the holograms and he is being manipulated into believing that no one trusts him. It's not over yet for him. **

**Next chapter will be posted next week (I hope!)**

**the-writer1988**


	10. Chapter 9: The Issue of Trust

**A/N) Thank you for all the reviews! This chapter ran away from me, hence the length and there wasn't really a good place to end it, so I just carried on writing until I reached a point where I could end it… I hope it is enjoyable!**

* * *

**Nine**

Dooku could sense that victory was in his grasp. The dark side of the Force pulsed through him, indicating that Obi-Wan Kenobi had taken another step towards aligning with his cause. Dooku studied his prisoner. Obi-Wan was mentally exhausted; his eyes showed his nearing defeat, the battle that he wished to be over.

This was a pivotal moment for the Sith Lord. He could feel that if he played his cards right, Kenobi would be his. He had hologram proof of Skywalker's admittance to slaughtering an entire Tusken tribe. All he had to do was press a button and it would show his guilt to the captive Jedi, yet Kenobi was aware that the holograms had been fixed. Kenobi would be naive to believe that they weren't or were bending the truth at least.

The Force warned him to be careful. A slight misstep could undo the process that had already begun with Kenobi.

"Stand up," he instructed, having made a decision about where and how he would impart this important information on the young Jedi.

Kenobi looked at him wearily.

"You want to know about Skywalker, I will show you, but not here. As I've told you before, Obi-Wan," he continued gently, "I want you to trust me."

The Jedi did not respond to Dooku as he slowly pulled himself to his feet. But once he was on his feet, their eyes locked. Dooku felt a shudder role up his spine.

"If you want me to trust you, _Dooku, _let me feel the Force again so I can read your intentions. Keeping me cut off from it is not going to help you. If you want me to trust you, you have to trust me first," the captive said.

_An interesting proposal, _mused Dooku, but an expected one nonetheless.

"And how can I trust you to not contact your former Padawan for aid as soon as you regain the Force?" asked Dooku, throwing the scenario back at Kenobi.

The Jedi took a deep breath, clearly contemplating his answer. "You don't," he finally said. "Trust is the issue. You captured me and you desire my trust. How can I give you my trust since you are the cause of my suffering? You have to prove to me that you are worthy of what you seek from me before I can ever put my faith in you."

Oh, Kenobi was smart; Dooku had to give him that. The ball was in his park now. He already knew that Skywalker would eventually trace his former Master here; in fact he was ready for it. As soon as Skywalker walked through security he would be recognised, especially if he was carrying a lightsaber.

Dooku had security systems installed in his home that pinged whenever someone with a lightsaber entered his home; it always identified them. He wasn't stupid to think that Skywalker would try the door, however the walls, the windows, even the secret entrance had the use of being able to alert him whenever a lightsaber user entered his domain.

If the system did not recognise the lightsaber, then Dooku would know that Skywalker was here. He was anticipating the young man coming to his Master's rescue. He hoped by that time that Kenobi might be his however it all depended on his choice now, and what he decided to do.

Kenobi wouldn't be easy to convince to turn to the dark side; he understood that to achieve his goal, Dooku had to be sneaky. He had to appeal to the Jedi's sense of justice.

He felt reluctance to do this but the spark of warning was still there, still probing at him to be careful; to choose wisely. The Jedi waited patiently for his decision, not pushing for an answer.

Then Dooku raised his hand and reached towards the collar around the Jedi's neck. Carefully, he input the little code and waited for the small, but rather intricate computer system to recognise his DNA before releasing the captive from the device.

He probed the Force around Kenobi. Freeing the Jedi from the Force-suppressor did allow Dooku to see what his Force signature was radiating now. It still burned bright but it was duller than usual, the flame of it having decreased due to the betrayals Dooku had forced upon Kenobi. The drug was working.

"Thank you," said Kenobi stiffly.

Dooku couldn't sense whether Kenobi was using the Force, or even probing the bond he shared with Skywalker, but the Jedi Master had hit upon the very thing Dooku had been waiting for him to ask. Dooku knew that Kenobi would demand freedom from the collar; he had been prepared to give it, though much later in the game.

However he couldn't deny that things were moving ahead faster than he had originally planned. Kenobi's Force aura was a contributing factor to what would happen next. He wasn't shut down to Dooku's persuasions. There was doubt there, doubt in his position in the hearts of those he had trusted. That was an intriguing notion – Dooku could feel the hesitant nature of trust that radiated from the Jedi.

Much as he wanted Kenobi to turn, to ruin this Jedi would be tragic. But it would be so _delicious_ to just see Skywalker's face as he witnessed first-hand his Master turning his back on him.

"I assume you want to take me somewhere more comfortable, Count?" asked Kenobi mildly.

Dooku shook his thoughts from his head. He was allowing his mind to run away with possibilities and with what he was sensing from the former Jedi Master. Potential rested within the Force; here was a chance for a bond to be formed between captive and Master.

_Tread your steps carefully. _

"You will follow me," instructed Dooku. "I trust that you will not attempt to escape."

"Not until I've heard what you've got to say," was the reply, in quite a dark tone of voice that Dooku was unaccustomed to hearing. He was allowing Kenobi to read his Force presence after all. He wondered what the Jedi was sensing from him? Could he detect the deception that he was slowly winding round the Jedi?

It was likely that he was and Kenobi didn't like it one bit. Nor did he approve of Dooku's chosen method.

And yet the Force that circled around them seemed to approve of this.

Ignoring his unease, Dooku trusted the Force, and led the Jedi out of his cell and towards the communication centre.

* * *

They still had another seven hours to go before they would be able to enter the atmosphere of Serenno. Anakin was getting even more frustrated that the time seemed to be going by so slowly. He had never considered space travel to be this long before, but now that he was desperately waiting for something to happen, time seemed to slow down. He was beginning to feel that with such good technology available that teleports should have been invented by now.

Anakin had long since stopped complaining about the length of time it was taking them to arrive at Serenno. He knew Adi didn't appreciate it. He had tried to mediate to ease the passage of time. Meditation had never been Anakin's favourite past-time.

In fact he tried to avoid it as much as possible. Meditation wasn't for him. Being active and doing things that helped with the greater good for the Republic was him.

Immersed in the Force as he was, he sensed a sudden familiar presence that he hadn't felt since he had started his search for his Master. _Obi-Wan… _He could sense his Master again! His aura had returned to the Force. Carefully, Anakin reached out and tried to make contact, to reassure his Master that they were coming for him.

Yet Obi-Wan Kenobi's presence shrunk back from him. Stung, feeling as if he had been slapped in the face, Anakin carefully prodded the bond. Obi-Wan was _blocking him_, voluntarily.

Unease settled in the pit of Anakin's stomach as he sought to identify the source of the block. Why would his Master erect a barrier against him? Didn't he want to be rescued?

It was then that Anakin felt something more drifting from the bond. Obi-Wan's presence felt tainted, felt darker than normal… The pureness was gone. Within the presence was unease, and mistrust.

_What? _Anakin felt confused by the torrent of emotions he was able to feel.

He reached out once more, gently prodding against the barrier Obi-Wan had drawn against him. _Master? _he sent, enquiringly. He tried to work his way through the Force barrier but what had been constructed had been built very well. There were no holes for Anakin to slip through; no way he could even contact his Master.

Why was Obi-Wan blocking him?

Frustrated and annoyed at his lack of success, Anakin floated out of his meditation, opening his eyes and finding Adi Gallia watching him, a curious expression on her features as she observed his actions. He had an uncanny feeling that his facial reactions to sensing Obi-Wan had drawn her attention to his meditation. He crossed his arms across his chest. "Alright then, what was I doing to garner your intense concentration on me?" he enquired.

"Your features were screwed up so tight I wondered if you were still breathing," she answered. "It looked like you were concentrating very hard on something; something that was just out of your reach."

Anakin sighed. "I was." He ran a hand through his hair. "I can feel Obi-Wan again."

Adi's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"But I can't talk to him over our bond. He's blocking me, intentionally, I'm sure of it," explained Anakin, feeling a little woeful at the current situation.

"Why would Obi-Wan block you?" asked Adi.

"I don't know," admitted Anakin. He nearly mentioned about the change in his Master's Force signature but he wasn't sure it was something he should talk about until he'd had a chance to discuss with Obi-Wan about it, and find out the reasoning behind it. "I intend on asking him that when we rescue him."

* * *

Obi-Wan followed Dooku out of the cell block, his gaze sweeping around him as he took in the walls, every door and passage they passed, searching for a way out. He didn't intend to escape, not yet, anyway. Much as he hated to admit it, he knew Dooku held vital information and he needed to know that before he could even consider escaping from his torment. If it meant remaining Dooku's prisoner until he had worked everything out…

However, he was also wary of returning to the Jedi Order and the Republic considering he now knew who the Sith Lord was. His belief in preserving democracy for the Republic had been shaken. Palpatine clearly didn't have democracy as one of his interests. He was after power; that had been becoming more clear as the war grew on and the Chancellor took on more executive powers, some of which he had 'reluctantly' taken on when the Senators had proposed them. Yet Obi-Wan didn't feel that the Chancellor was reluctant about the powers. He had seemed secretly pleased, all the time informing the Jedi Council that he would lay down all powers once the war had ended.

Now he wasn't so sure of that.

The revelation of the Sith Lord's identity fit with it being the Supreme Chancellor, considering his actions and the decisions he had made ever since Geonosis. It certainly changed everything.

Obi-Wan had been a part of discussions concerning the Sith Master with the Jedi Council. They had come to the collective decision that the Sith simply could not be Palpatine as he was already in power, therefore he was already exonerated from any suspicion. Yet his research into the Sith's history had shown they had changed over the centuries. Once there had been many Sith running around, now there were just two.

Two Sith could bring down the Republic. The fact that a Sith apprentice had been trained in secret showed that the Sith were preparing to come forth – their involvement in the Naboo crisis years ago proved that. The Sith had one goal in mind: absolute power. And if they could accomplish the extermination of the Jedi Order, they would.

Palpatine was in the perfect place to assume control of everything. The Jedi were his tools to play with as he pleased. If he was indeed the Sith Lord as Dooku attested, then the Jedi Council were his puppets, unaware of the true danger they were in.

He couldn't deny that an alliance with Dooku might be beneficial in this case, but there was the matter of the Count's intentions for him. Dooku wanted to turn him and his method of making Obi-Wan feel betrayed was just a small step in assuring that happened. Dooku's method had hit a part of Obi-Wan that had never truly repaired itself, but a part of him that he had buried deep long ago. Now, all those mixed memories and his feelings from when Qui-Gon had refused to take him as his Padawan, to the time when Qui-Gon had preferred Anakin over his current apprentice had been flung to the forefront of his emotions. It was proving difficult to suppress them, even with the use of the Force again. He had thought he had gotten over the hurt and disappointment of those times long ago.

Obi-Wan Kenobi had been wrong.

Even the knowledge of Anakin's betrayal of the code hurt. He had known for a while that Anakin and the Senator of Naboo must have been seeing one another, but to take it to marriage was something that Obi-Wan had not considered his young charge would ever have done.

And if there was more to come, Obi-Wan didn't know how he could confront the young man he thought of as more as his brother then anything, to find out why he had betrayed the code.

Dooku led the young Master through the intricate and decorated areas of his home, passing many portraits of whom Obi-Wan thought must be Dooku's ascendants. The floors were made of marble, shining in the sunlight that cascaded through the windows. Outside, Obi-Wan could see a mountain range; Dooku's home was secluded as far as it could be from any civilisation.

The Count turned another corner and Obi-Wan followed, finding his captor standing in front of a door. He didn't see the code that Dooku input to open the door but he indicated Obi-Wan to step through.

The Jedi did so, walking into a communications centre. There were a few droids operating the consoles, cameras showing every part of Dooku's home, as well as monitoring the spaceport within the main city of Serenno.

Dooku drew up a chair and motioned for Obi-Wan to sit down. When he didn't make a move to acquiesce, the Count turned back to the Jedi, a frown on his face. "What you are about to see would be best viewed sitting down," he suggested, trying to sound kind, but not coming across like that at all.

Obi-Wan sat in front of one of the spare console screens. "Just show me," he practically ordered.

Dooku ignored his captive's tone and instead flipped a few buttons and on one of the screens that Obi-Wan sat near to, the image of the Supreme Chancellor's office appeared. There was a time-stamp on it, showing the date of just a few days after the Battle of Geonosis. "There are two recordings I have to show you. This one and the next follow directly on from it. I am showing you them because you need to see just how many people are conspiring against you _and _you will see that I have been trying to _save_ you all this time, even if it may be unconventional."

Obi-Wan frowned, choosing not to reply, but watched as Dooku played the first of two recordings.

_Chancellor Palpatine stood by the window in his office, his arms held in front of him, as he swept his gaze over the capital city. A young man in Jedi robes approached him. A Padawan's braid hung down by his right ear. _

"_Hello, Chancellor," said Anakin Skywalker, bowing lightly before the man at the window. _

_Palpatine looked at the young Jedi. "Ah, Anakin, it is good to see you. How are things? Are you still not a Knight yet?"_

"_No, sir," replied Anakin. _

"_You more than deserve that honour, Anakin," said Palpatine, "especially after what you accomplished on Geonosis." _

"_I didn't accomplish anything, Master. I nearly got Padmé and Master Obi-Wan killed. I made sure Dooku escaped! If I had listened to Obi-Wan…" _

_Palpatine cut across the young Jedi. "You did what you thought was right. Your Master cannot always be right. Your opinion is just as valid as his. You will find that a Master should rely on his apprentice's abilities and opinions… but it seems that your Master fails to recognise that." _

_Anakin sighed. "It's not that, Master… The last few weeks I've proved that I still have a lot to learn." _

"_Something is bothering you, isn't it?" noted Palpatine, turning his attention fully on the young man. "You know you can tell me anything, Anakin. I am your confidante. You can trust me with the things you can never tell your Master. I know from Senator Amidala that you came from Tatooine to Geonosis… I also understand that in mission briefing you were instructed to remain on Naboo…" _

_Anakin visibly swallowed. "I went where I should not have gone," he admitted. "But I had to. Obi-Wan didn't understand… He would never understand what drove me to go to Tatooine… What I did there…" The young man visibly shuddered. _

"_What happened?" Palpatine seemed to be the kindly old man, the one that would listen to Anakin's woes, and help him through the pain that he was clearly in. "You can tell me. I have always been here for you, Anakin." _

"_It's difficult to talk about… I'm ashamed of my actions, of what I did. But it felt right. It felt good to tap into such power…" Anakin appeared to shudder again. Whatever was eating at him was getting to him as well. The young Padawan was silent for a while, just staring out of the window in the Chancellor's office, watching as traffic moved in the sky lanes, and the sun was setting to the west. When he spoke, his voice was low, shaking a little, as he admitted the crime he had committed, dealing out justice in retribution for the loss he had suffered. _

"_I killed them all…" he began. "The Tusken Raiders. They killed my mother… tortured her for a month… I could feel her pain even here on Coruscant… And no one listened to me. Obi-Wan refused to listen! He thought they were dreams! He was wrong and my mother died horribly because of his failure to listen to me. I failed my mother because I didn't do what my heart bade me to do: go to her and rescue her. I hoped they were just dreams… but they weren't. I saw her in pain, Chancellor, she needed me and I wasn't there to help her. I went to Tatooine to determine my dreams and what I found was the worst thing I could have expected."_

_Anakin looked up at the Chancellor, and his eyes were brimming with tears, a single trail of them ran down his right cheek. "She had a family, Chancellor. She had been freed. She was married, living the life she deserved to have and it was cruelly taken from her. She was taken one morning by the Tusken Raiders. They tortured her." He swallowed, struggling to continue. "I found her in one of their huts, trussed up and hurt so badly… Her injuries were severe… She had hung on for me… wishing to see me again… She lived for no more than five minutes after I freed her from her bonds… She said she was complete… My mother died in my arms…" _

_Palpatine stayed silent as Anakin struggled to continue. _

"_I… I was angry… I couldn't help it… I… I… I… I slaughtered them all. The women and the children too… all of them slaughtered like animals! They were animals for what they did to my mother! They took her and destroyed her! I killed them. All of them! And… and… and… I liked the power that gave me…" Sobs wracked from Anakin's body as he finally finished his tale. "I shouldn't have done that and I shouldn't have felt like that either…" _

"_Anakin, my boy…" Palpatine reached out and placed an arm around the young man's shoulders. "You did what any one of your power would do… You took the lives that were rightfully yours to take. It might have been wrong to the Jedi Code… but you dealt out justice as swiftly as one could hope for… Do not feel that you made a mistake… You did what you had to do… You should never supress your emotions, Anakin, because that is not who you are. You are not an emotionless shell like the Jedi Order is. They cannot understand what it means to be human, or what it is like to be loved… You and I do…" _

"_But anger is wrong… I shouldn't have done that." _

"_Perhaps," admitted Palpatine, "but is it a crime to deal out justice?" _

_Anakin swallowed. "No." _

"_And that is all you did, my boy." Palpatine moved his arm away from Anakin. "You have my trust; word of this will not get out to anyone, least of all your Master or the Jedi Council." _

"_I don't want Obi-Wan to know about this ever. He'd turn me in. I'd be expelled," said Anakin. "I trust him… but he's too enriched with the Jedi Code. There are some things he can't know about..." _

_Palpatine patted Anakin on the back. "Your secrets are safe with me, my son." _

The video ended. Obi-Wan sat, numb with shock at the admittance of what Anakin had done. He had liked the power of the dark side… he had used it, breaking another value of the Jedi Order. And once again, he didn't trust Obi-Wan with this secret.

What had he done to deserve Anakin's mistrust? Was it all because he had tried to help him understand the importance of the Jedi Code? Anakin had completely undermined his teachings… He had freely admitted to the Chancellor of the Republic that he had murdered in cold blood… murdered _children_. If he could murder hapless Tusken children who could not be held accountable for the crimes of those that had tortured Shmi Skywalker to certain death, who else was Anakin Skywalker capable of killing? Capable of betraying?

What was worse was that he was confiding in the Chancellor who seemed to be pushing him to stay true to his principles of being human rather than that of the Jedi Code, which only furthered Dooku's admission that his Master was the Chancellor.

The Chancellors of the Republic had always greatly revered the Jedi Order, had always respected their values. Each one had made certain to understand the values of the Jedi Code so that they could better understand the function of the Jedi and what their place was in the greater Republic. Palpatine seemed to be going against that, actively encouraging Anakin that what he had done was justice, and Anakin appeared to have felt comforted by that.

"There is still one more recording to go," mentioned Dooku. "This one is a discussion I had with my Master shortly after he had that conversation with your young apprentice."

Obi-Wan felt sick. He didn't want to watch anymore. He almost stood up to flee but he remembered why he had to see this: he had to know for sure how deep this treachery went and he was curious about how Dooku had been trying to save him. He didn't yet have Dooku's trust, but it was clear that the Sith was willing to give him the chance to have access to the Force. He could feel in the Force that Dooku genuinely wanted Obi-Wan to trust him, though he did desire his fall to the dark side as well. They did have mutual goals that could be beneficial if they did work together.

The Separatists were fighting to break away from a corrupt Republic, and Obi-Wan could now see their point. The Republic was corrupt – had been for years. With a Sith Lord in charge, it was obvious that the corruption was there… and the Jedi had no place in the Republic. The Separatists actually had a point there, though both sides were being manipulated by a Sith Lord.

The next recording flashed onto screen and the Jedi Master dismissed his thoughts to watch what else Dooku wished for him to know.

The image of Dooku sitting at his desk came onto the screen. A hologram flashed up on his desk, and the view switched to another view so that Obi-Wan could better see the cloaked figure that Dooku was talking to. Though he couldn't tell for sure that the cloaked man was the Chancellor, when the Sith spoke the clarity and identity was clear to him.

"_Master," Dooku bowed, lowering his head as far as he could. _

"_How goes the war effort?" the Sith Master enquired. _

"_Very well, my lord. We are succeeding in pushing back several Republic forces on the borders or our territory. We could potentially push into the system of Toydaria if we wished to take that sector by force. The Republic forces are crumbling – those fleets without a Jedi General are easier to defeat then those that are commanded by season veterans," explained Dooku. _

"_Good… good…" the Sith Master sounded pleased. "You will be pleased to know that my plan to destroy the Jedi Order is advancing. Skywalker is falling into my grip quicker then I intended. He has already tasted the darkness and he liked it. Becoming friends with him when he just a boy was perhaps the smartest thing to do… He does not trust Kenobi with his secrets." _

_Dooku waited, for he could not demand to know what his Master did not wish for him to learn. _

"_It appears Skywalker has a remarkable aptitude for killing women and children, when their partners murdered his mother. His vengeance was horrible and the dark side glimmered with his loss," the Sith's voice became darker. "Skywalker will fall and he will help destroy the Jedi Order … and, most of all, he will be the one to destroy Kenobi utterly. Betrayed and killed by his own apprentice… that is Kenobi's fate." _

_Dooku's entire posture stiffened. "My lord… May I suggest that Kenobi would make a better apprentice then Skywalker? Skywalker is too volatile, too quick to anger… He has no control! Kenobi, on the other hand, has that control. He may not be as powerful in the Force as Skywalker is but he is a match for him and he can defeat that boy! I ask that you reconsider… spare Kenobi's life and use him instead!"_

"_No. I have spent far too long investing in Skywalker's fall. That boy will be mine and he will bring the Jedi Order to its knees," hissed the dark lord. "Kenobi is an irritant that deserves nothing more than death brought on by his own student. He must die." _

_Dooku raised his head now, looking directly up at the hologram of his Master. "Kenobi is –"_

"_SILENCE! Kenobi will not be turned. You would do well to see that," growled Sidious. _

_Reluctantly, Dooku bowed his head. "Yes. My Master." _

"_Now, onto your recent successes…" _

The hologram blurred off and Dooku walked in front of the desk to stare at Kenobi. His arms were folded across his chest. "I told you I was saving you."

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows in surprise. "In a manner of speaking, but not entirely accurate. Your Master wants Anakin to kill me if he ever succeeds in turning him. You are trying to convince him that I would be better off turned, otherwise I will die like the rest of the Jedi Order will when the Chancellor decides we have finished fulfilling his goals for him."

"And when your former apprentice is ripe for turning," indicated Dooku. "I do not wish for your talent to be wasted. I am trying to save you. And I can still save you if we work together. How can you return to the Jedi Order now? The Chancellor knows you are here. I had to convince him to spare your life – I stood up for you because he would see you dead and has plotted for it for many years. He is allowing you to live for now, providing you remain under my care. He believes he can use you to turn Skywalker still. If we work together we can stop him – I cannot do this alone!"

Obi-Wan folded his arms across his chest, studying Dooku's face with a hard expression, his eyes glinting darkly. "I know you want me to be your apprentice but I won't. That is out of the question." He did however hesitate, unsure of how he could say his next thoughts.

"But you are willing to be partners?" probed Dooku, testing the waters.

"It's not ideal but I see there is merit to it. You are playing a game with Palpatine, but he is playing a game with not only you, but the entire galaxy. We're all his chess pieces, even you, Dooku, to be moved accordingly when he wishes to," explained Obi-Wan. "If I can save Anakin by working with you…"

Dooku frowned. "You still want to save him?" He brushed the bottom of his beard with his fingers. "Interesting."

"He's still my friend…" admitted Obi-Wan, but he lowered his gaze, "but I can't trust him anymore. I'm not sure who I can trust… I can't trust you, Dooku, either because you are trying to use me. I have no doubt that you would accept my offer of partnership, but you would still try to deceive me… To try to push me down the road that you think suits me best."

"And if I promised to not try to tempt you to join me as my apprentice would you reconsider?" enquired Dooku.

Obi-Wan probed Dooku's Force presence, searching his aura for any hint of deception in his statement. Sith were good at deceiving others, and Dooku was no exception to that. As he probed, he found it surprising that there was no _hint _of his true intentions. He was either being sincere with his promise, or he was a lot more powerful in the dark side then Obi-Wan had presumed. Dooku could hide his true intentions if he so wanted.

However this was an opportune moment to perhaps work out a deal that would bring the Separatists back into the Republic and heal the rift that had spread between the various systems.

Finally, he returned his gaze to Dooku, pulling his senses away from the man's aura, and clouding his own, making it extremely difficult for his captor to read him. "I would not take your promises at face value," he explained, "however you are giving me an opportunity to end this war. As you say, the Chancellor has so graciously allowed me to continue living under _your _care," he said sarcastically, "he will not take it lightly if I return to the Republic. I presume he would know you have told me his identity?"

Dooku nodded, not letting his emotions show on his face. "My Master is far more powerful then you can imagine. He will know you know… He does have spies within my household that report to him. He will know before you have even returned to Coruscant that you have escaped." The Count was choosing to be quite frank with him. "He will have you killed before you get into the atmosphere. He will not risk his identity becoming public with the Jedi Council until he is ready to reveal himself." Dooku locked gases with Obi-Wan, his eyes burning. "And he will only be ready when Skywalker is ripe for turning. Your young friend is not there yet… There is still time."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes, his head aching from what he was hearing. What could he do? What should he do? Should he betray the Republic that he was allied with because of what he now knew? Could he really become the lone voice of the Jedi Order to fight back against Palpatine? What about Anakin? He'd be betraying the young man he had raised.

_But he did betray me – twice. _The unbidden voice in his rose up.

He didn't like thinking this; he didn't want to believe that Anakin could be so callous to not trust him. Obi-Wan loved Anakin like a brother, yet for all his efforts, the young Jedi had betrayed him. Qui-Gon Jinn had betrayed him too.

_I did not betray you, Obi-Wan_. The voice of Qui-Gon Jinn was back.

Obi-Wan felt a burst of fury flush through him at the voice. "I told you to shut up and leave me alone!" he shouted aloud, not caring if Dooku heard him. Whatever that voice was, continuing to deny his own involvement in hurting his own Padawan was too much. Qui-Gon _had _abandoned him.

_If Qui-Gon abandoned me, why should I have such worries about abandoning the Republic when it isn't the Republic I know? If Anakin doesn't trust me with his own secrets, would he trust me if I informed him about Palpatine's treachery? _

Obi-Wan opened his eyes and he found that a tear had leaked from his right eye, trailing down his cheek. He wiped it away with a flick of his hand, and looked up at Dooku, who was still watching quietly. He sighed. He knew what he had to do if he was to save everyone he loved and cared for. "Dooku, I will make you a proposition."

"Go on," Dooku leaned forward.

"I will not becoming your apprentice, I will not train with you in the dark side… but I cannot go back to the Republic. Trust is the issue. I can't trust you either, but I can't trust the Republic or the Jedi Order either…" He stepped forward, and held out his hand towards Dooku. "I can, however, work with you to save the Republic. You may be a Sith but you are not completely there, even if you think you are. I propose a partnership, but there is one thing that I request that you must do."

Dooku still did not take his offered hand, watching the Jedi with sharp, dark eyes. "And what is that?"

"Grievous. Get rid of him. I don't care how. I will not work with you unless he is dealt with… or his actions are toned down so he is not a threat to the Jedi. I may have been betrayed by the Jedi Order, but I do not wish for them to all die." Obi-Wan folded his arms across his chest, taking away his pro-offered hand.

Now was the waiting game. If Dooku wanted to work with him, then he had to consider all other options first.

After all, Obi-Wan was not nicknamed the Negotiator for nothing.

* * *

Surprised at the offer, Dooku considered what his captive had proposed. Though Kenobi was his prisoner, this was a tempting offer. But to take Grievous out would be almost impossible… He was still too useful to Sidious. The only other option was to force Kenobi back on the drugs and back into his cell which could potentially destroy any future working relationship.

The Force warned him then. It was not an option for him to imprison the Jedi again. Kenobi would not turn otherwise. Though the Jedi Master was offering himself, he was doing so under an agreement which he was not in a position to negotiate, however Dooku could not underestimate him, nor could he ignore what he desired.

To outright kill Grievous was impossible to do without angering his own Master, however it was possible to reassign him to skirmish missions in the outer rim, where he wouldn't be in danger of destroying all Republic Forces or encountering Jedi… Grievous had been threatened with this job due to his failures… However, capturing Kenobi had been his saving grace.

But it was possible to take the droid general out of the game as per Kenobi's request.

It was possible to accomplish… Sidious would suspect something that was for certain, but even his Master was getting angry about Grievous' incompetence to actually do something useful for the Separatist cause. It was a risk Dooku was willing to take, especially if it secured him Kenobi's services…

He smiled gently. The Jedi Master was right not to trust him; however, he could sense that trust was slowly growing. He was falling into Dooku's grip.

A Sith Lord always lied after all.

He could take Grievous off duty for a while… and when Kenobi was securely his, Grievous could re-join the war effort.

He was playing a dangerous game but his instincts were telling him he was on the right path that he was preceding as the dark side wanted him to.

"Very well, Master Kenobi. I cannot kill Grievous however I can take him off frontline duty where he will no longer be a threat to the Jedi. That is the most I can do with your request…" The Count lifted his hand and held it out. "Do we have a deal?"

**To be continued…**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Ok… lots of things going on in this chapter. And major decisions are being asked for. I'm not sure if there is much I can say about this chapter, other than it is pivotal for the rest of the story. Originally I didn't have any intention of Obi-Wan learning of who Palpatine really was… that little nugget of information has changed this entire story and does have consequences for everyone. Dooku may have said to Obi-Wan that he won't be giving him that drug again though remember, a Sith lies ;) **

**Next chapter: **Anakin and Adi finally reach Serenno. **Should be posted next Saturday. **

**Until then, **

**the-writer1988**


	11. Chapter 10: Spark of Fire

**A/N) And here we are! The chapter that this story has been building up to: Anakin and Adi reach Serenno!**

**Thank you for all the comments about chapter 9! **** I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

**Ten**

After countless travelling hours, they had finally arrived on Serenno. Anakin and Adi had passed through security with ease, their fake IDs working to allow them access. They had already decided prior to landing that their best option was to try to sneak into Dooku's home, though they expected stringent security around the area which would make their task quite difficult.

They didn't take a speeder instead opted to walk on foot. They were less likely to be detected if they approached on foot and shielded their presence in the Force as best they could.

Anakin walked behind Adi as she led him through the forest which preceded the mountain range where Dooku's home sat. Anakin estimated they'd be reaching the outskirts of Dooku's estate by late evening, which would give them the extra cover of darkness to slip into the grounds.

He was concerned with the security measures that Dooku would have in place, however. Now that Obi-Wan had access to the Force again, he knew for sure that he had been wrong to ever discount Serenno from his original guesswork in trying to trace his former Master. Obi-Wan's presence blared loudly out into the Force, but the pureness he had always exhibited was tinged with darkness.

And that darkness appeared to have gained a bit more grip in the few hours since Anakin had dared to reach out and sense him. Whatever Dooku was doing to Obi-Wan, it was having an effect on him.

They were travelling in the forest that bordered Dooku's lands. It was dark and musty inside; the air smelt rank as if the vegetation had barely seen any sunlight in weeks. Little creatures ran at the sound of their footprints, and the trees seemed to grow closer together, seeking to trap them within their eaves. Darkness encroached around them as they walked through the gloomy and dense wood.

Ahead of them, the forest appeared to open up.

Anakin sped up, walking past Adi, eager to escape the convoluted forest. He reached the eves of the wood, and leaned back against the last tree, looking out at the valley before him.

The Count's home was surrounded by a mountain range but the forest led down into the valley via a steep path off to the right. He could see slight flickers of a security barrier echoing all around the property. Mostly unseen, but with good eyesight could be detected. They would have to find a way to bypass that because they didn't know if it had a particular height or if it covered the top of the house too.

Adi came to stand beside him. "Well, we're here."

"Yeah," murmured Anakin. "I'm not sure how we are going to get in without tripping that security field."

Adi smirked. "I get the feeling that Dooku will be expecting us to try. He will 'let' us in. We just have to avoid the trap he has planned for us."

Anakin glanced at his companion. "Are you certain that he will really allow us into his home?" He didn't quite believe that Dooku would risk such a thing. But then there was something that wasn't right about Obi-Wan's Force presence either, which concerned Anakin greatly.

Adi shook her head, the long black hair that obscured her headdress, wavered slightly in the air. "Not certain, no… But I feel uneasy. A trap is set for us."

Anakin frowned, feeling slightly agitated. "Obi-Wan always said we need to spring the trap." He took the path to the right. "If they are expecting us, it matters not how we get in."

Adi began to follow him. "You're just going to walk up to the front door?"

"If they are expecting us we may as well spring the trap. Dooku won't expect us to simply walk up to the front door, plus we are wearing disguises, which obscures our identities. We may as well see if Dooku falls for this trick," said Anakin, smiling lightly.

"Two business people visiting a Count late at night?" Incredulously, Adi's eyebrows rose. "I'm sure he won't see anything suspicious about _that_."

Shrugging his shoulders, Anakin continued down the path. "It's as good a plan as any. Besides, we took the effort to forge identities for ourselves, why not attempt to use them in a way Dooku may not expect?"

Adi didn't have an answer for that however Anakin could sense that the Council member was not happy with his plan of simply walking up to the front door. Anakin felt that he simply didn't have the time to work out a way into Dooku's stately home without being noticed, sneaking through the sensors without setting off any alarms. His plan was shaky at best but perhaps it might give them the advantage they needed to free Obi-Wan.

Together, the two Jedi disappeared into the rising darkness, heading further towards the boundaries of the home of the Count of Serenno.

* * *

When his security guards informed him that two business partners were asking for permission to talk to him, Dooku knew instantly this was Skywalker's way of trying to sneak into his manor in an orthodox way. It was not difficult to detect Skywalker. The boy and the other Jedi with him may be clamping down on their Force auras but it wasn't impossible for them to completely hide them.

The dark side of the Force was clouding everything… The Sith were more powerful than the Jedi. Dooku issued the order for Skywalker and his companion to enter the grounds. He would let them find Kenobi in his room, and he would watch and learn, unless of course they did the idiotic thing of walking up to the front door, then Dooku would personally greet them.

Grabbing his cloak, he sneaked a peek at the installed camera that was in the corner of Kenobi's room. The Jedi Master was dutifully eating the meal Dooku's robo-chef had cooked for him. He had watched as Kenobi had tried to figure out if there was anything suspicious about the food before eating it, but apparently satisfied that Dooku had not tampered with it, was devouring it.

Dooku smirked. He was smarter than that. Just because the food wasn't giving Kenobi the drug, it didn't mean he wasn't ingesting it in some other way either.

The Count walked down the marble corridor, passing illustrious paintings of his ancestors. He had given Kenobi his own room to stay in and to prove that Kenobi was right in putting his trust in him he had decided to not have security droids outside the door. The camera inside the room was another issue entirely. Kenobi understood why he needed to be monitored. But Dooku was giving him more freedom then he should have done.

Reaching the door to Kenobi's room, the Count stepped inside. The Jedi was waiting for him.

"Yes?" Kenobi asked, raising an eyebrow at Dooku's entrance.

"I have come to inform you that your apprentice is here. Skywalker is on my grounds," said Dooku. "I want to know if our agreement still stands? You are a smart man, Obi-Wan, I know that you have realised that leaving with Skywalker will mean my Master cannot try to assassinate you. He will dare not risk killing his prized apprentice in an attempted 'accident' to have you killed."

Kenobi sighed, his shoulders visibly sagging. "I've already sensed him coming. Anakin trusts a Sith Lord with his deepest secrets… and no doubt he knows of Anakin's marriage too. Anakin is already under the sway of the Sith. If he can't trust in me, how can I trust him to not lead me into a trap devised by your Master?" The Jedi shook his head.

Dooku allowed grim satisfaction to course through him. The drug was still working on the Jedi, still topping up his dose, making him susceptible, more inclined to believe what was said to him… He already held distrust of Skywalker and it was slowly growing. There wasn't hatred there, not yet, but nurtured enough it soon would. Disappointment resided off the Jedi Master.

"I think you know what my answer will be," said Obi-Wan quietly, raising his head, and locking gazes with Dooku.

"I can assure you that I will allow Skywalker and his companion to leave this planet unharmed," replied the Count. It was a sacrifice he would have to make to ensure Kenobi's compliance. He didn't like the idea of allowing two Jedi to walk alive off planet, but he did understand what he needed to do to continue gaining a grip on Kenobi's soul. "I will even allow you to escort them to the hanger and manage their escape from Serenno if you do not trust in me to keep my word." It was a risky game but it might be enough.

"I won't be leaving with them," returned Obi-Wan, confirming Dooku's question. "Too much is at stake if I left. Our partnership stands."

Dooku nodded. "Shall I let him in then?"

* * *

So far, their plan had worked. Their forged credentials had given them access to Dooku's estate and now Anakin and Adi were taking a brisk walk up the path towards the front door. Adi said it would be better for them to deviate away and try to sneak in through one of the upper floor windows; however Anakin maintained that it would be more sensible if they just knocked on the front door.

Dooku was unlikely to answer the door himself and would leave some poor servant droid to deal with any visitors.

Adi disagreed with this but reluctantly allowed Anakin to take the lead. She wanted to trust that the young Jedi was capable, and if she could give a good report to the Council, perhaps some of the other members that did not trust him as much, would accept him as a very capable Jedi Knight.

As they reached the front door, it swung open, and Count Dooku stood there, arms crossed his chest, a smug grin on his face as he looked at the two Jedi. "Anakin Skywalker… What a disguise… Nothing can hide your stinking Force presence from me." He shifted his gaze towards Anakin's companion. "And Jedi Master Adi Gallia… Looking after Skywalker while Kenobi is unavailable?"

Adi didn't respond. Their disguises were useless, but both of them reached for their concealed lightsabers.

Dooku raised a hand. "I wouldn't if I were you. I promised Kenobi I wouldn't harm you. If you do not surrender then I will make things very unpleasant for him."

Anakin's right hand was already on the hilt of his lightsaber, but as his eyes tracked the near darkness as a squad of battle droids, super battle droids and destroyer droids rolled up around them, encircling them, he realised it was hopeless, especially if Dooku was threatening Obi-Wan.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Anakin saw Adi nod. She, like him, had already calculated the odds. There were too many droids for them to defeat, plus there appeared to be gun emplacements embedded on the walls by Dooku's front door. No doubt they could be altered to deliver stun strikes. Taking a deep breath, Anakin threw his lightsaber on the floor. He didn't want to risk Obi-Wan by fighting back. Adi had already done the same.

"So you do have brains, boy," muttered Dooku. He called the two lightsabers to his outstretched hand. "Bring them inside and to the second floor, once they are changed out of those ridiculous disguises. There are Jedi robes already out for them."

"So you were expecting us then?" shouted Anakin, as he was prodded forward by one of the super battle droids.

Dooku merely nodded, before he walked away from them.

The two Jedi were encircled by droids, escorted to a room just down the main corridor where they were told to change. Droid guards were set outside the door, and as the two Jedi inspected the room, they found there was no way of escape.

"What are we going to do?" asked Adi.

Anakin sighed. "Do as he says until we find Obi-Wan and _then _make a break for it."

"That is not a plan," replied Adi, as she pulled off the black hair wig that had been obscuring her headdress.

Anakin shrugged. "I know… but Obi-Wan is not in the dungeons. He's on the second floor. Something is going on here…" He bit his lip, worry reflected in his eyes. "I don't like this one bit." He went to the sink that was in the corner of the room, and rubbed off the scar that had been added to his cheek. He pulled out the extensions in his hair and then, bending down, wetted his hair so the brown dye came trailing out into the sink. He took out the brown contact lenses that obscured his blue pupils and threw them into the bin. Next, he rubbed vigorously where the tattoos had been applied, letting the ink drip down into the bowl. He grabbed a towel and dried his hair and face. Free of his disguise, he looked more like Anakin Skywalker, though parts of his hair still had the brown dye in it, and both his cheeks where he had rubbed to remove the tattoos and the scar were red.

Adi stepped up to the sink, washing away the make-up as Anakin took the Jedi robes that were supplied on the bed in the centre of the room. He marched over to a small dressing room on the other side of the room, and changed. Rather than his usual darker colour, the robes were the beige colour favoured by many Jedi and that colour didn't seem to suit him.

It didn't matter.

The only thing that mattered was Obi-Wan.

He waited as Adi changed back into the Jedi robes and together the two left the room and found a smaller squadron of droids waiting to escort them up to the second floor.

Anakin took the lead, with Adi behind him. They were encircled by the droids who directed them up the stairs, into a extravagantly decorated hallway, filled with many paintings of the Dooku line, before they stepped outside a door.

Anakin could sense Obi-Wan's presence within and he was surprised that there were no guards outside his room. The door slid open and the droids parted to allow Anakin and Adi in. The door slid shut behind him. They were alone, save for a figure standing by the window.

It was Obi-Wan.

* * *

Obi-Wan turned to face his friend and fellow Council member.

"Master!" Anakin blurted out.

The young man began to walk towards him, but Obi-Wan stepped back, raising his arms to ward the younger man away. The young Jedi stopped his walk across the room, looking surprised at Obi-Wan.

"Hello Anakin," said Obi-Wan quietly, trying hard to not allow his current feelings about Anakin get in the way. He inclined his head to Adi. "Master Gallia."

"You're not in a cell," pointed out Anakin, slowly. "Why not?"

Obi-Wan swallowed. How could he tell his former friend the truth?

_Wait… did I just refer to Anakin as a former friend? _

Obi-Wan didn't know how to react to that new feeling. This man in front of him had not been truthful with him. He had betrayed every value that Obi-Wan held dear and had tried to teach Anakin. Fundamentally, Anakin hadn't listened, and he was friends with a Sith Lord.

"Dooku would prefer me to be in comfort then in darkness," replied Obi-Wan to Anakin's query, talking with hardly any emotion in his voice.

"We've come to rescue you," continued Anakin. "There are only a few droids outside; we can take them down, even without lightsabers." The young man was clearly eager to get going.

"Always on the move," said Obi-Wan. He still didn't know how he could tell his former friend that he was s_taying_; that he had made an agreement with the Count and intended to see it through. There had been too many betrayals lately. It didn't occur to him, however, that by joining with Dooku, he was becoming the betrayer too.

"Obi-Wan?" Adi Gallia stepped forward, concern evident in her voice. "Something's wrong… what is it?"

Ever astute, the Tholothian Jedi Master had always been good at picking up the feelings of others in the Force. Even though Obi-Wan was clamping down on much of his Force presence still, he wasn't blocking Adi like he was with Anakin. Adi hadn't betrayed him as Anakin had. Adi had been his friend, hadn't she?

Obi-Wan shook his head. _Adi IS my friend! _He had to fight the reaction that he was feeling, that she had done something as big as Anakin had.

Finally, he managed to spit out what he wanted to say, struggling to keep his voice calm. "I'm not leaving."

Anakin immediately stepped forward. "What has Dooku done to you? You're blocking me… You don't feel right, Obi-Wan. What has Dooku done?"

At Anakin's questions, Obi-Wan felt anger course through him. The betrayals that he had suffered came to the forefront of his mind. Everything that he had been told came spurting out of his mouth, startling Anakin into stepping back in surprise.

"It's not what Dooku has done, it is what you have done, Anakin! You have betrayed me!"

Anakin stepped back again, shock on his face, hands raised up in defence of himself. "I have never betrayed you!"

That did it.

"LIAR!"

* * *

Listening just outside the door was Count Dooku. A small, satisfied smile decorated his face as he heard his 'partner' accuse Anakin Skywalker of being a liar. The drug was working perfectly, twisting Kenobi's thoughts continuously, burrowing into his mind, further and further until Dooku would be able to say one simple thing and Kenobi would believe it without questioning it.

He would have to intervene at some point, but for now Dooku leaned back and continued to listen to the conversation that was steadily getting louder and louder. Obi-Wan's voice rose by the minute, until, finally, silence fell on the room, shock reverberating out into the Force as all of Anakin Skywalker's secrets were spilled forth.

* * *

"Even now," continued Obi-Wan, stepping forward, his right hand pointing towards his former friend, "you can't even admit that you have done me wrong! That you have betrayed every value that I taught you! You are a Jedi and you have betrayed as all!"

Anakin shook his head wildly. "When have I ever betrayed you? What lies has Dooku been feeding you? He's trying to turn you! Don't you see?"

"Oh, I see very clearly, Anakin!" snapped Obi-Wan. "But you… I can't believe what you did… and I mourn for the person you once were… And you will end up betraying the whole Jedi Order and the Republic all because you can't SEE!" He turned away from Anakin, facing the window, arms crossed, trying to calm himself down.

"Anakin… what have you done?" asked Adi quietly.

Obi-Wan heard his former friend reply but felt disgusted at his continual denials.

"I don't know what I've supposedly done… How am I supposed to know if Obi-Wan won't tell me?" he asked, his voice rising slightly to provoke his former Master into replying.

Twisting around, Obi-Wan walked forward, his eyes blaring out in slight madness, his hands were shaking by his sides. "Do you really want to know what you've done?"

"Yes," replied Anakin. "I want to know what lies Dooku has been feeding you so I can prove to you that he is _wrong_!"

Obi-Wan smirked. "I'm not stupid, Anakin." He felt Anakin bristle in the Force and knew the young man was resisting the temptation to bite back. He didn't glance at Adi as he spoke, though he could feel the Council member was probing his Force presence. He let her do so, he didn't care about her. He stepped right up close to Anakin's face, his eyebrows lowered, and he learned forward so that their noses were almost tip-to-tip.

"What have I done?" asked Anakin, once more.

"You have betrayed everything that I have taught you. And you don't trust me with the truth," said Obi-Wan quietly, but almost menacingly. "I know that you married Padmé Amidala on Naboo just after Geonosis, and I know you slaughtered a tribe of Tusken Raiders on Tatooine prior to that!"

Anakin's Force presence visibly trembled.

A soft gasp came from Adi Gallia, and Obi-Wan felt satisfaction at what he had just said, though for a brief moment he felt bad about revealing this without talking to Anakin more privately. A harsh voice echoed into his head: _He deserves it. _And the fire and disappointment and betrayal he felt roared to the forefront once more.

Obi-Wan turned away from him, walking away. "And you also consort with Sith Lords! Is that enough of your betrayals for you or would you like to hear what else has driven me to not return with you?"

Anakin was stunned, shock radiating across his features as two of his most precious secrets had been blurted out. He stood behind Obi-Wan, unsure of what to say. There was confusion in his Force presence. Finally he bumbled forth a question. "How did you know?"

Obi-Wan snorted, twisting round. "As I said, I'm not stupid! I knew you and Senator Amidala had feelings for one another. I knew whenever you had time to visit her, you did! But I never thought you would actually marry her! You are putting at risk your entire training by attaching yourself to someone!" He twisted back to the window, clenching his fists tight, taking in deep breaths to maintain the calm he need to have. The darkness bubbled away inside his chest. "Someone is keeping an eye on all your affairs on Coruscant, Anakin, without your knowledge. The security system that your wife has installed in her apartments can be accessed by a Sith Lord… And it isn't Dooku! I saw your conversation with Padmé when she nearly confessed to her parents about your marriage… You said you couldn't tell me because I would tell the Council. You didn't trust me to keep your secret!" Obi-Wan stepped forward again.

"Would you have run to your Council? Would you have told on me?" retorted Anakin angrily.

Obi-Wan sighed. "No, I wouldn't, but that is not the point! You didn't trust me! And you didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth about what you did on Tatooine either! Instead you tell some Sith Lord!"

Anakin shook his head, locks of his hair swishing around his face. "I have never spoken to a Sith Lord apart from in combat!"

"Ha!" Obi-Wan jerked his head back in amusement. "Oh, if only you knew… If only you knew…" He was making Anakin angry.

The younger Jedi was about to shout out in reply when Adi Gallia calmly stepped in between the two arguing Jedi. Her hands were raised in each direction.

"Stop it!" she ordered. "Whatever Dooku has uncovered about Anakin is irrelevant. We all have secrets, even you, Obi-Wan. Anakin may have betrayed our values but he is still a Jedi! If we argue now, we will break apart!" She took a deep breath and continued. "We came here to rescue you, Obi-Wan, and we don't intend to leave without you."

"No," replied Obi-Wan stubbornly. "I'm not coming back. There are too many people who have betrayed me. And Anakin is one of them. And he will continue to betray the Jedi Order."

Anakin huffed. "If you know so much why not inform us instead of stating how I have betrayed you? It might actually help us so I _don't _end up betraying the Jedi Order."

"He's right under your nose," replied Obi-Wan, "and you simply can't see it. You're the Chosen One, I'm sure you are perfectly capable of working it all out for yourself."

Anakin scratched the back of his head. "You mentioned that other people have betrayed you. Who are they?"

So Anakin wanted more answers, Obi-Wan mused. He had been expecting that. He didn't seem to understand the complications of what Anakin had done to Obi-Wan himself, nor did the young man wish to debate with him the semantics of the accusations he had been levelled with. He had expected that.

"The Council and Qui-Gon," stated Obi-Wan, as if it was self-evident.

Anakin's head cocked to the side. "How did they betray you?"

"Qui-Gon didn't want me because of _you _and the Council didn't think I was good enough to be a Knight either! Maybe I wouldn't be so bitter if people had been honest from the start!" Obi-Wan retorted. He glanced towards Adi Gallia. "I don't blame Adi but I do blame the other members of the Council for their lack of success!"

Anakin was shaking his head. "Of course Qui-Gon wanted you! He trained you for nearly thirteen years! He thought you were ready to be a Knight!"

"He only said that so he could get rid of me!" replied Obi-Wan angrily, gritting his teeth, to stop his anger from rising further.

"Yet you proved you were ready when you killed that Sith apprentice," mentioned Adi. "None of us doubted you but the Council wasn't going to say then and there that you should face the trials – not when you were in the middle of an assignment. And Qui-Gon was trying to get us to break our own rules in allowing an emotional young boy into our Order, who by our standards was too old." She said this in a reasonable voice, beseeching the goodness that was Obi-Wan Kenobi, trying to get him to understand the reasons for the way the Council acted shortly before Qui-Gon's death. "As for Qui-Gon not wanting you… that stems back further, I can see how that may have hurt you and how Dooku has taken an advantage of that."

"What?" Anakin sounded bewildered.

Obi-Wan had, a long time ago, told Anakin that Qui-Gon had struggled to accept him as his apprentice but he had never told him the full truth that he had been sent away from the Temple because of Qui-Gon's decision. His gaze was fixed upon Adi as she continued to speak in a soft voice.

"Obi-Wan, I remember when you were sent away from the Temple, when Qui-Gon refused to pick a new apprentice because of what happened with Xanatos. What happened there is understandable. He didn't want to repeat that experience… You were too eager to not be sent away and you ended up being sent away from the Temple because you were too aggressive… Yet you showed Qui-Gon who you really were! What you could be capable of when he came to Bandomeer! None of us were shocked when Qui-Gon formally requested us to take you as his Padawan. Master Yoda knew that was going to happen." Adi stepped forward. "Qui-Gon never betrayed you in the way you think he did!"

"It still hurt," said Obi-Wan quietly. "After what Anakin has done, I cannot find things easy to forgive. And what I know about the state of the Republic right now is one of the reasons why I cannot come back. I'm safer here with Dooku."

"But we need you," said Anakin. "The Republic needs you… I need you."

Obi-Wan felt anger stir in his chest. How could Anakin say that? How could he claim that he needed him? "That's a laugh! If you really needed me you wouldn't keep all these secrets from me! You would trust me with them and seek my advice instead of assuming things of me! You don't even know me, Anakin! I am loyal to those who are my family… And I know that is not the Jedi way but when you spend so much time with one individual they become your family. The Jedi Order may have this rule of no attachments but the Order is rife with it!"

"So you are just going to betray everyone you have fought for, for your entire life?" hit back Anakin, ignoring his Master's last speech. "You're going to join Dooku, the enemy of the Republic?"

"And that would be treason, Obi-Wan," said Adi quietly, quite meaningfully.

Obi-Wan just stared at his fellow Council member. "The Republic is betraying itself. In this war, you two are the criminals."

"If you suspect who the Sith Master is," continued Adi, "then it is your duty to tell us. If we know we can end this war!"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "It won't be as easy as that."

"Master Kenobi is correct," said Count Dooku, finally entering the room, twirling two lightsaber hilts in his hands. Obi-Wan recognised them as being the blades that belonged to Anakin and Adi. "Exposing my Master and ending this war won't be as easy as you believe. He has planned for anything and," his gaze shifted to Anakin, "Skywalker is the weapon that he will utilise. The less people that know of his identity, the easier it will be to topple him and to end this war. The Republic that you serve is not what you believe it to be…"

Anakin glared at the Count. The ripples in the Force spread out around them and Obi-Wan could sense his former apprentice's distrust of the Count's intentions. "Tell me who he is!"

Dooku smirked. "If Obi-Wan and I told you who my Master was, you would not believe it, and he would sense your thoughts and then set his plans in motion, of which some need time and planning to counteract." He laid out a hand to Obi-Wan. "Kenobi, here, has agreed to help me. In return for his assistance, I have ordered General Grievous to desist attacking the main stream Republic fleets and killing Jedi. I cannot take him out of the war effort entirely as my Master would suspect my duplicity. By remaining here, he has assured that the most notorious General under my control will no longer hassle your major fleets or positions."

"And that's supposed to satisfy us?" hissed Anakin, his eyelids like slits. There was a fire burning within his aura, taking control and twisting his thoughts.

Obi-Wan could feel how much potential Anakin had with the dark side and how quickly it would take him to slip into its grasp. It was only more important for him to not know who the Sith Lord was. That spark could become a fire.

"Yes, that is meant to satisfy you!" Obi-Wan replied. "I am not coming back with you. Whether I am tried for any crimes I may commit, I don't care. I'm more concerned about ending this war! There are too many betrayals going on that returning to the Republic would cause this war to continue on longer then it could do! The Jedi Order is as corrupt as the Republic, perhaps worse." He hung his head, using his right hand to wipe the hair out of his face. "And you, Anakin, you betrayed me… I don't think I can be in the same room as you without feeling betrayed or angry with you… You never wanted me as your Master, and you've always resented me for not being Qui-Gon…"

"I was a teenager and too impulsive for my own good!" protested Anakin. "I thought I knew better!"

"And that's the point, Skywalker," replied Adi slowly, "you shouldn't have thought you did. For someone who joined our Order late, you had a lot of presumption to believe that Master Kenobi was not fit to be your Master. And if Obi-Wan has harboured these feelings deep down over the years, it won't be easy to forget once they are woken."

Anakin stared at her incredulously. "You're siding with him?" He couldn't believe that.

Adi Gallia shook her head. "No, but I see why he may feel you never wanted him… and I can understand why he may not want to return with us. He's not being held prisoner either…"

Anakin was shaking his head, hardly daring to believe what he was hearing. "We're just going to let him stay here?"

Obi-Wan's anger flared again. "I am not your property to order around as you wish, Anakin! I was a prisoner, yes, but I'm not anymore." He turned and walked over to a desk which sat in the corner of the room. He pulled open one of the drawers and lifted out his lightsaber. "I am armed. I am not being forced to stay as you may readily believe. Dooku will keep his side of the bargain as long as I keep mine."

Anakin was shaking his head once more. "I just can't believe you of all people could abandon the Order or the Republic."

Obi-Wan's cold eyes fixed on Anakin. "I haven't abandoned the Republic. I am helping her survive by not being a part of the system that the Sith control! The only way to bring the Sith Master down is to work with his apprentice!" Obi-Wan stepped towards Dooku, standing beside him. "Dooku will allow you to leave this planet. Even though you never trusted me, I still trust that you will do the right thing in the end."

"Doing the right thing is not leaving you behind," grated out Anakin, his teeth gritted together.

"You are breaking and entering on my property," countered Dooku sternly. "If you will not leave willingly then I will have to call the proper authorities, of which then a messy legal battle will undoubtedly begin between the Counts of Serenno and the Republic. You can either leave quietly without fuss or cause another whole of political problems for your precious and noble _Chancellor_."

Obi-Wan's eyes seem to light up with fire at that last line, but he tried to fight back the anger he felt at the Chancellor's betrayal over the institution he had helped to build since he had come to power, despite planning to tear it all down in the end, in his bid to destroy the Jedi forever and assume control of the galaxy.

The Jedi Master extended both his hands to Dooku, who placed the lightsabers of both Anakin and Adi in his palms, and then turning towards the two Jedi, Obi-Wan returned their weapons to them. "I am not coming with you." He took hold of his own lightsaber hilt, and kept his thumb over the ignition switch. "I don't want to fight you but I will if I have to. It's your choice."

Anakin and Adi exchanged uneasy looks. Though they were now armed, both of them knew that Dooku could easily capture them again and if they tried to take Obi-Wan by force, he would fight them.

"Fine, we will leave," grated Anakin. He locked gazes with the Count. "This is not over Dooku!"

Dooku smiled serenely at the young Jedi. "I know it isn't."

Obi-Wan gripped his own lightsaber in his right hand and walked towards the door of the room. "I'm going to lead you to the hanger. Dooku has arranged a transport for you. You will be given clearance to pass through the Separatist fleet and leave the system. If you try to return, you will be fired upon."

"How can you be so callous?" asked Anakin. "That you would threaten us with being shot down is we return?"

"How could you keep secrets from me?" shot back Obi-Wan.

Anakin rolled his eyes but the Jedi Master caught the gesture.

"Don't you dare say I'm keeping secrets from you either!"

"Well you are," baited Anakin.

"For good reason," hissed Obi-Wan. "What I know you would believe Dooku is tricking me therefore you cannot be privy to what I know… Not yet anyway, nor can the Jedi Order until plans have been made!"

Adi stepped in between the two once more. "Stop this! This isn't helping! I don't like leaving Obi-Wan here either but he's made up his mind. We can't do anything but leave, and continue sniping at him, Anakin, is not going to change his mind about you! You have betrayed his trust, as he has said and you have betrayed the Jedi Order by not respecting our rules, regardless of the way you see it!"

Silence fell between then, Dooku watching with interest from the side, a smile hiding in his beard.

Anakin took a deep breath in and raised his eyes so he focused on Obi-Wan. "I never wanted to hurt you, Master. I should have trusted you. My fear that I would lose everything that was dear to me took hold. I shouldn't have kept you in the dark."

Obi-Wan stayed silent, instead choosing to open the door to the room and indicate for Anakin and Adi to leave.

It seemed that Anakin wasn't happy about leaving but what other choice did they have? Obi-Wan walked out behind them. "Go down the stairs," he instructed, "and then to the right and then walk the length of the hallway."

They followed the instructions, passing down an elegant corridor, before stopping at a security door which was guarded by Super Battle Droids. Obi-Wan held up a card which was scanned by the droid and the door slid open when the confirmation light turned green.

They stepped into a small hallway, where at the end of it, it opened up into a hanger. Dooku's solar sailor was docked to the right and a few service robots were currently sweeping it. Nearer to the partly open hanger doors was an unmarked shuttle with the ramp down.

"That shuttle is yours," said Obi-Wan. "Take it and go."

"Obi-Wan…" said Anakin, looking back at his former Master.

"Don't say it. I'm staying. And don't try to forcibly take me," he growled back. "I know you are thinking of it. This hanger is watched. And if you try to knock me out, you won't escape."

Anakin took a deep breath in. "I'm sorry I've hurt you." It was a hard admission for the young man to make, however there was truthfulness within his Force presence. He meant his apologies and he wanted to fix things.

Shaking his head, Obi-Wan turned away. "Only time will tell if we can ever fix the damage between us. But right now? It's too painful. Maybe in time I will let you in again."

Anakin nodded solemnly. "Be careful, Master. Don't let Dooku trick you. I don't want to have to kill you if you become a threat to the Republic."

"I won't be," reassured Obi-Wan, glancing over his shoulder. He was making sure that Dooku could not drug him again against his will. He was sure he would catch anything if the Count tried any tricks. He wasn't going to let it be easy for the Count to seduce him. He understood that Dooku would take advantage of the argument between Anakin and himself and use it to further his cause in trying to turn him to the dark side. He wasn't naive to believe that the Sith had given up that particular ambition.

He watched as Adi and Anakin walked up the ramp of the shuttle, the ramp sliding in as the door clammed down. As the engines roared to life and Anakin nimbly piloted the craft away and through the narrow gap, Obi-Wan couldn't help but have a sudden sense of loneliness engulf him.

"You did the right thing, Obi-Wan," said Dooku, coming up behind him.

Obi-Wan sighed. "I hope so… but why do I get the feeling that the next time I see Anakin, it will be a fight to the death?"

**To be continued…**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**So, Adi and Anakin fail to leave with Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan is now working with Dooku, albeit not all on his own accord… Remember, he is still being influenced by the drug, so his characterisation is off because of that factor. It's not over yet for Obi-Wan. **

**In the next chapter the Jedi Council discuss these new developments and Anakin talks to the Chancellor. **

**Until next time,**

**the-writer1988**


	12. Chapter 11: Many Meetings

**A/N) A week late with this chapter… Erm, yes, I know, I had trouble with it, as well as other things have been happening. Updates may take longer though because I am about to start my third and final year of my degree and that is going to give me a lot of work so writing fanfiction cannot be my priority… I will be continuing this story, updates just might take longer… **

**I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

**Eleven**

They were safely in hyperspace, having passed through the Separatist blockade of Serenno, when Adi finally spoke, breaking the silence that had fallen between them since they had left Obi-Wan back on Serenno, under the care of the malicious Count.

Oh, Anakin was certain that Dooku was up to something. There was something far too suspicious about Obi-Wan's Force presence for him to believe that he was willing to join Dooku. The Sith Lord had done something to influence Obi-Wan into abandoning his Jedi principles.

But he had, had leverage. Anakin's disregard for the rules had been taken as betrayals on Obi-Wan's part, and the young man regretted that he had not trusted his Master to let him into the two biggest secrets of his life.

"I hope you realise that Obi-Wan wasn't himself," said Adi gently, breaking his train of thought.

Anakin sagged in his chair. Was his future with the Jedi Order over? "Before I answer… please tell me this… Will I be expelled for my transgressions?"

Adi sighed. "I don't know. You have broken our code in the worst possible way. But the Jedi Order needs you. I can't speak for the other members of the Council but I won't be voting for you to be expelled… Not until this war is over. From what I've seen of you, your performance as a Jedi hasn't been affected by any marriage… though," she added, "you do have an attachment to Master Kenobi which stems from your other attachments."

Sighing, Anakin closed his eyes. He didn't want to be expelled from the Jedi Order, but he didn't want to live his life without Padmé. Perhaps if he was spared from being expelled then he would have the chance to prove to the Council that if they sanctioned Jedi to marry it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing? He couldn't hope for a miracle, but he could keep his mind focused on the problem they had at hand, and that was Obi-Wan's betrayal of everything he held dear.

"I know something is wrong with Obi-Wan. He didn't feel right in the Force but I couldn't place why. He has much more control then what he was showing. If anyone is the impulsive one, it's me, not him," admitted Anakin.

"I think he was drugged," said Adi.

"What makes you say that?" queried Anakin. "Wouldn't he be able to sense he was being drugged?"

Adi shook her head. "Not always. He said he was a prisoner but he isn't anymore, right?"

Anakin nodded. He had heard that too.

"Dooku may have forcefully given him a drug to twist his mind. There is a drug that is outlawed that can be used to that effect."

"And if he was Force-suppressed," started Anakin, "then he would have no way of combating any drug away in his system."

Adi shook her head, her head tails swinging. "No, he wouldn't."

"But what changed?" asked Anakin. "Did Obi-Wan join him of his own free will?"

Adi looked thoughtful. "No, he wouldn't have done, but he probably thinks he has. Dooku seems far too confident. He's given Obi-Wan his freedom, yet he stays, so he still has some control over him. And the drug must be supplied some way Obi-Wan wouldn't suspect…"

"Wouldn't he sense it?" figured Anakin. Surely the Force would warn him?

"Not if he was already dosed up on the drug," replied Adi sadly. "If it's the drug I believe it is, then it stays in the system undetected for a long time. It's the perfect drug to use on a Jedi, especially when you want to turn them from all the values they grew up to believe."

Anakin frowned, his hands clutching the controls of the starship, though he didn't really need to as they were in hyperspace. "Would he return to normal if the drug was stopped?"

Adi sagged in her chair. "I don't know. It depends on how fiercely Obi-Wan believes what the truth is. If what he's been told is true while on the drug, he may still feel inclined to believe it." She ran a hand down her face. "I get the impression that Dooku has only told him truths… though twisted them slightly to fit his own ends."

Glancing at his companion, Anakin looked quizzical. "What do you mean?"

"You are married… and you killed a Tusken tribe… those are truths, are they not?" she asked.

Anakin nodded, fighting the guilt that was welling up inside him.

"Obi-Wan believes them to be betrayals. That is what I mean. Dooku has used the drug to twist his mind enough so that he thinks that what you did is a personal betrayal to him," explained Adi calmly, watching the streaking stars fly past their cockpit window. "But Dooku also gave him another motivation to join with him. The identity of the Sith Lord we are chasing."

"Dooku could have lied," grated Anakin, clenching his fists tight. "I do not talk to Sith Lords!"

"I'm not accusing you of that," replied Adi, watching him closely, "but it does bear investigating. There is something we are missing in this, and you are the only Jedi outside of the Council that really does have friends within the Senate. You are perfectly placed to be talking to the Sith Lord without realising it."

"I'd sense them!" retorted Anakin, feeling a bit angry.

Adi shook her head. "Not necessarily. Dooku's Master must be very powerful if he is able to hide himself within the Senate. The Jedi Council have known for a while that a Sith is in hiding on Coruscant… We've been unable to track him down. Whoever the Sith Master is, they are very good at cloaking their presence."

Anakin sighed. "Why didn't Obi-Wan tell me who it was? We could go back and end this war right now!"

"Because Obi-Wan has been convinced that telling you now wouldn't be the right thing to do. Would you believe him if it turned out that Senator Amidala was the Sith Lord for instance?"

"Padmé isn't a Sith!"

"I'm not saying she is… nor am I suggesting she is either…" confirmed Adi, watching Anakin carefully. "It's hypothetical."

"I wouldn't believe him…" replied Anakin, quietly. "I would feel Dooku has tricked him into believing the worst case scenario."

Adi nodded. "So he has good reason to not tell us. If Dooku has not lied to Obi-Wan about the Sith's identity, if they are someone you are close to Anakin, you've got to be more careful around them and sense for any sort of deception. If we can find this Sith Lord we can end this war, and we might be able to get Master Kenobi back before Dooku convinces him to continue the war with him."

"Do you really think he intends to do that?" asked Anakin, fiddling with his shirt.

"Unfortunately, I do," replied Adi. "Dooku has a plan and it involves Obi-Wan. At the moment, Obi-Wan has the belief that his promises mean something. I suspect that Dooku let us go because if he didn't, he would lose Obi-Wan's willingness and compliance." She gently patted Anakin on the arm. "You may have to prepare yourself for the possibility that he may become your enemy."

Anakin shook his head, denying that very thought. "No, I won't let that happen."

"You may not have a choice," she pointed out. "If Obi-Wan sees you as an enemy because the secrets you have kept from him, then he will. Dooku will twist the bitterness he feels into hatred."

Anakin turned to her, his face going red. "Then we should have got him out of there!"

"To force him with us would have turned him against us. He's still partially on our side. We haven't lost him yet. I am sure of that," intoned Adi.

Anakin felt like screaming out his frustration. He hated this. He hated the idea of leaving Obi-Wan behind in the hands of an enemy who did not mean well. Obi-Wan was being influenced yet he didn't know it. The thought of having to fight his former Master made him shudder. Obi-Wan was like his father… the man who had helped raise him… and now he was losing him, bit by bit.

* * *

Anakin stood in the middle of the Council chamber, Ahsoka by his side. Adi sat in her Council chair, discussing quietly with the other Masters the events of which they had uncovered on Serenno. Anakin was dreading this session.

Two secrets of his were out.

He had informed Ahsoka of his slaughter of the Tusken Raiders and of his marriage; surprisingly she had taken it rather well. She didn't judge him for his indiscretions or of breaking the code either.

"Skywalker."

He looked up, focusing upon Mace Windu who was staring at him, hands clasped together. He was leaning forward, his intense brown eyes studying him.

"Yes, Master," bowed Anakin, showing the courtesy that he knew they need to hear and see from him.

"We have been discussing your indiscretions. As a rule this would mean you would be expelled from the Jedi Order as you have violated two of our most precious rules…"

There was a 'but' coming, Anakin could sense it.

"But… there is a war on and you are most effective on the battlefront. Therefore we will not be expelling you from the Order, however you will be on probation and this will be discussed once this war is over," explained Mace.

"Your Padawan will be reassigned to Master Koon," added Saesee Tiin.

"No!" Ahsoka jumped in. "I can't be!" Though she was fond of the Kel Dor Master, she had grown attached to Anakin more and didn't want to leave his side.

Anakin sighed. He had expected they would take Ahsoka away from him. "What if I could prove to you that it is possible to still be a Jedi and still have attachments?" he asked. It was a risky shot but one that he could attempt to negotiate. "After all, if I'm been fighting in this war while I've been married, it hasn't compromised me that much, has it? I know I've been a bit more eager to be the one involved with Padmé when she had been put in a place of danger… But has my performance as a Jedi been affected by my marriage?"

The Jedi Council exchanged glances; a sort of mental communication seemed to be going on between them.

"There doesn't appear to be any sign that it has," conceded Mace, almost unwillingly. "But the time to experiment with the code is not during a war."

Anakin bowed his head. If Obi-Wan were here he might have jumped in with an argument against Mace's words but he wasn't. Instead he was being manipulated by Dooku.

"On the contrary, a war tests the Jedi," said Adi Gallia. "We have all had tough trials out on the battle field, where we have had to adapt the code to suit the environment. Perhaps Anakin has not been compromised by his marriage that we have seen in the war, than we could allow him to continue with Ahsoka by his side. If we sense anything that could point to something going wrong, then we could take action. A war where the Jedi are all being tested can sometimes be the best place to experiment on other things."

Mace Windu looked at Yoda. The other Council members had thoughtful expressions on their faces as they considered Adi's words.

"We will debate this after we have discussed the situation around Obi-Wan Kenobi," said Mace. "For now, Anakin, you will remain as Master to Ahsoka Tano."

Anakin bowed his head in acknowledgement and Ahsoka breathed out in relief, though both of them were aware that the final decision could still be to separate them.

"The question is what we should do with Obi-Wan. He has betrayed us," began Mace Windu. "However the evidence points to him being manipulated and believing that the right course of action is to betray us, to work against us. Because of the circumstances we cannot simply believe him to be a criminal or an enemy of the Jedi. Ideally it would be good for us to reacquire him."

"Capture you mean," stated Anakin.

"Yes, but that wouldn't work in our favour. Obi-Wan needs to come to us willingly. He has lost his faith in the Jedi because of what has been done to him," explained Adi. "We need to counteract his accusations. He said he knows the identity of the Sith Lord, and that you, Anakin, tell your deepest secrets to them. That does explain how Dooku knows about your breaking of the code."

Anakin frowned. "But I've never mentioned to anyone about my marriage to Padmé. How could the Sith Master know that?"

"Perhaps because he senses your feelings for the Senator when you are around her? If he is within the Senate then he would be able to access private cams and view footage and make conclusions based on what he would have seen," said Ki-Adi Mundi thoughtfully.

Anakin shook his head. "We've always been careful. We rarely show emotion in the Senate. We both hide it. I've told no one about Padmé and I." He couldn't figure out how they would have learnt about his secret marriage.

"Clouded the light side is. Darkness encroaches. What is believed impossible is now possible," said Yoda cryptically, though Anakin understood the gist of what the old Master was trying to get across.

"Anakin," said Mace, leaning forward, holding his chin in his hands. "You need to go away and mediate. There is someone who you know who is the Sith Lord. We need to investigate this. If we can find this person and destroy the Sith then we can stop this war before it can escalate any further… and, we can save Master Kenobi from falling any further at the same time."

Anakin nodded. He didn't speak to that many people. And only two people knew of his slaughter of the Tusken's, but neither of them would dare betray him, would they? Padmé and Chancellor Palpatine.

_No… _

A sudden thought came to him but he pushed it away, not wanting to think badly of that person, to believe that they were that capable, and that they had secured Anakin's trust through deception.

Ignoring the feeling in the pits of his stomach, Anakin listened to the instructions of the Jedi Council.

But the niggling doubt was there and it could not be abated.

* * *

Leaving Ahsoka to practice her saber skills, Anakin took a speeder to the senate as she needed to warn Padmé about their marriage being known by both the Council and the Separatists. He had already called her apartment to check that she was wasn't there.

He hurried through the halls of the Senate, ignoring the curious glances he was getting from everyone. He side-stepped Bail Organa, turned left, and then sped down a smaller corridor, coming to the end of it, and gently palming the door open. He stepped into Padmé 's office to find her sitting at her desk.

Padmé Amidala Skywalker looked up and her face burst into a smile as she saw Anakin. "Anakin!"

He managed to allow for a slight smile. "Hi."

"I didn't know you were back from duty!"

"It was unscheduled…" said Anakin. He gave her a quick hug. "Have you heard about Obi-Wan?" He wasn't sure if the news had been made public yet.

Padmé shook her head. "No. What is it?"

"He's been captured, Padmé. Dooku has him on Serenno…"

"What?" Padmé was shocked.

Anakin sighed, his shoulders visibly shaking. "He's joined with Dooku."

Padmé's mouth widened shock evident in her eyes. "But he wouldn't betray the Republic…"

"I think he's been manipulated. He's been told things by Dooku that has made him believe that I've betrayed him… that the Jedi betrayed him… and that the Separatists have a point to the corruption of the Republic," he explained. "And, Dooku told him that we are married."

Padmé gasped. "How did Dooku know?"

He moved towards the window, his arms behind his back. "I don't know. I simply do not know how he knew. I've never told anyone."

"Neither have I," replied Padmé defending herself from any accusations. "I know I may have wanted to but I know what will happen if this marriage becomes public. We will be vilified for it and you'll lose your position in the Jedi Order!"

"The Council knows too," he admitted. "Master Gallia and I infiltrated Serenno to try to rescue Obi-Wan. But it was a trap and we were both taken to Obi-Wan. Adi knows and it was her duty to tell the Council."

"Have you been expelled?" Padmé asked hesitantly.

Anakin shook his head. "Not yet." He looked back towards her. "But it's worse."

"How can things get any more worse than they already are?"

"Obi-Wan knows what I did on Tatooine, what I did to the Tuskens after my mother died from her injuries," his shoulders sagged as he exhaled. "And he knows who the Sith Master is, the one co-ordinating this war who the Council have been unable to track down. Obi-Wan told me that I tell this Sith Lord everything." Anakin's voice was breaking. "I don't want to think badly of the people I trust…"

He turned to face her.

"I know it is not you, Padmé. We have a bond of sorts developing but only I can feel it, not you. You're not a Jedi, not even Force sensitive. But there is one person who I do tell everything too but not our marriage, but if he is the Sith Lord then he would know because he has every single resource in the galaxy at his command… He'd be able to acquire any information because of his position."

"Anakin…" she began quietly. There was realisation in her eyes as if she understood what Anakin was implying. "You're not thinking it could be the Chancellor?"

"Palpatine has always been there for me, ever since I came here. I trust him with everything. He's the only other person who I told about the Tusken Raiders… no one else knows, apart from you," he swallowed the lump in his throat. "Palpatine has never been considered a suspect to be the Sith Lord because he was already in power… I don't want to think this about him, but he is the only person who I can think of that knows about Tatooine… Who knows enough about me – and he knows that I love you because I told him when I was a child – and he is in the position to be able to inform the Separatists of everything. He is the one with all the information on our movements, everything. He is in the perfect position to betray us all but no one _suspects _him!"

Padmé crossed the room and sat down on the sofa. "It can't be him… it can't…"

"I don't want to believe it either," swallowed Anakin. "Can you think of anything else that might point blame away from him? The Chancellor is also aware of all our military campaigns. Only the Jedi Council and the Chancellor knew of Obi-Wan's position before he was captured…" It just couldn't be him, Anakin didn't want to even consider this possibility, but things seemed to heading that way.

Padmé frowned, thinking through her past few years. "The Chancellor has changed… I used to agree with all of his policies, but now, I'm not so sure. There are a lot of things he seems to be putting in place which could eventually lead into a dictatorship." She glanced at Anakin, her cheeks turning red at her embarrassment. "I didn't want to say anything to you because of your friendship."

"I'm suspicious now of him now that you've said that," mooted Anakin thoughtfully. "I need to speak to him…"

"Why?" Padmé's eyes widened.

"Because perhaps we can trick him into making mistakes if he is the Sith. He probably already knows more detail about Obi-Wan's captivity but he might not know the full extent of Dooku's own treachery."

"You're going to attempt to play both sides," his wife was clearly shocked at his ambition.

Anakin shrugged. "This war is a dangerous game, Padmé. We are all pieces of it. I think it is time we made the Chancellor one too, if he is indeed the Sith." He could see from his wife's expression that she didn't like the idea but it seemed to be a good idea to try.

Everyone was a piece on the playing board, and Anakin didn't wish to be one of those pieces any longer. He had to get to the bottom of this. It may be the only way he could save Obi-Wan from the darkness that was threatening to consume his soul. He could not lose his best friend.

* * *

"Ah, Anakin! I didn't know you had returned to Coruscant? Last I heard you were searching for Master Kenobi?" The Supreme Chancellor was sitting at his desk, head bowed, but he rose it, his eyes fixing upon Anakin as the young Jedi approached him.

"I was searching for him and we found him," shrugged Anakin, as he sat himself in the chair. He kept his gaze on Palpatine, searching for any sign of deception.

"Where was he?" asked the Chancellor, curiously.

"Serenno. He's with Count Dooku," replied Anakin.

"With? You didn't rescue him?" questioned Palpatine, eyebrows raised. "That's unlike you, Anakin."

"No, it's not, is it?" Anakin mentioned, crossing his arms across his chest. "He stayed behind willingly."

"So he's a traitor then?" said the Chancellor, almost a bit too quickly.

Anakin shook his head. "No, just misled. He seems to be under the impression that I've betrayed him, as have the Jedi. Dooku did something to him to make him believe this, so whatever Obi-Wan may do, it is under false pretences. He says the Republic is corrupted."

Leaning back in the chair, Anakin casually looked around the office, trying to keep suspicion out of his voice. "The Count plans to end this war by using Obi-Wan to help him topple his Sith Master." The young Jedi knew that the Council had informed the Chancellor about the Sith, so he felt safe in revealing this little nugget of information.

"Oh, really?" Palpatine sounded surprised. "Does he intend to replace him with Master Kenobi then?"

That was just camouflage. The Chancellor was feigning knowing the details.

Anakin shrugged. "I don't know what Dooku plans in the end, all I know is that Obi-Wan is going to help – in his drugged state – that he will aid Dooku and the Separatists to bring the Republic back together by destroying Dooku's Master."

Palpatine nodded his head, pressing his hands together. "This is most interesting, Anakin." He leaned forward, pressing his elbows onto the desk. "I will have to issue a statement about Master Kenobi and his duplicity must be discussed in session. If he is indeed being tricked then we must ensure that he is not killed within battle _accidentally_. I'm sure the last thing you want Anakin is for him to die?"

That was an interesting question, Anakin mused, coming from Palpatine especially. "No, I don't want to lose him."

"What if the damage done is permanent?" the Chancellor queried.

Anakin nearly frowned at that question. "I will try my best to prevent it from being permanent. I won't be lured into killing my best friend."

"I would hope not, Anakin, but we must be prepared for every eventuality," soothed Palpatine.

"I know," returned Anakin. "I feel sure that this whole situation will be sorted out soon enough." Though he didn't really feel that, he wanted to show that he was confident. "I'm sure your excellent leadership will lead us into a bright future."

"Your confidence in me, means a lot, Anakin."

* * *

Later that evening, when the sun was setting, and Sidious had dismissed the last of his advisers, he sat back in his chair and stared out of his window and into the gleaming city that was his.

He had always expected that Tyranus would betray him in some form; Anakin's talk with him had only proved that.

He hadn't spoken to his apprentice in a few days, however it seemed he had been successful in turning Kenobi away from the light, partially at least. But something niggled with him. Did Kenobi know his true identity? Was there more to what Skywalker had said? How much did Kenobi know, and by that extension, how much did Skywalker know?

He'd been playing this game for far too long to easily brush away the niggling concerns. For years he had manipulated everyone around him. For years he had been the mastermind behind the grand scheme of the Sith. For years he had coveted the destruction of the Jedi Order.

Dooku's actions threatened to overturn all his hard work.

First, he had to know how much Kenobi knew.

Secondly, the Jedi Master would have to die regardless.

Thirdly, he would have to learn what else Skywalker was hiding from him. If his suspicions had been raised…

_My plans have to accelerate. I have to force Dooku to make a move too quickly and too suddenly. And I need to get Skywalker solely on my side. _

The Sith smiled evilly, as he looked out upon his kingdom.

His hard work wouldn't be for nothing. He would win. There might be unforeseen obstacles, but he would win.

He was sure of that.

**To be continued…**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Next chapter: we return to Obi-Wan and Dooku.**

**I cannot promise an update for next week but I will try my best. I am going to attempt two-weekly updates if I am unable to post every week however. As my university course is quite important I can't devote time to fic-writing as much as I'd like to. Hopefully I will still be able to update regularly! **

**Thank you to everyone who has read and supported this story so far. **

**Until next time, **

**the-writer1988 **


	13. Chapter 12: Assignments Given

**A/N) ****Sorry for the wait everyone. This isn't my best chapter, and it was a struggle to write so I hope you can forgive me for the shoddiness of this chapter!**

* * *

**Twelve**

"I've been here a month now," commented Obi-Wan as Dooku dismissed him from the exercise routine he had been performing.

"Yes, and you are coming along quite well," replied Dooku, slowly walking around Obi-Wan in a circle.

The Sith Lord had been putting him through his paces, instructing him in combat skills that would help him to defeat a powerful Sith Master. Obi-Wan understood that whatever skills Palpatine possessed, he would need to be stronger and less predictable, so he needed to learn more aggressive moves. It didn't sit well with him as there was a niggling doubt in his mind that he shouldn't be taking Dooku at his every word, but he felt that the Count was helping him.

In the month since he had been on Serenno, Obi-Wan had learned a great many things, specifically about the plot that the Chancellor had in place regarding Anakin Skywalker and the destruction of the Jedi Order. Unfortunately for Obi-Wan, he wasn't in a position that would allow him to help out his fellow Jedi. He needed to get to the Chancellor.

However the Chancellor clearly did not like his own apprentice conspiring against him, therefore he had already announced Obi-Wan was being manipulated by the Separatists to serve them, therefore his capture was necessary. But, in secret, he had already informed all the Clone Battalions that Kenobi was to be killed on site, however their Jedi Generals and Commanders were not to know. This specific intelligence had come from Dooku's spies and Obi-Wan was sure that this was the truth.

Obi-Wan had wondered why the Chancellor simply hadn't dispatched assassins to deal with him, as he was clearly in the position to be able to authorise such action. The Chancellor had the codes, relevant access to get onto Serenno without passing any of the security checks.

Dooku had spoken to him about this, stating that the Chancellor realised that if he stepped out of line, Dooku could do more damage to his reputation as the Chancellor and therefore begin to shake the foundations of his position within the government. Sidious wasn't ready yet to risk his years of planning to get rid of an apprentice and a man that may be conspiring against him personally.

They had to get to Palpatine in a way that would help their cause. It was just waiting for the right moment. Obi-Wan didn't want to risk going to Coruscant – his face was all over the news and such stringent security measures were in place that it would be more of a hassle trying to get through them. He had to be careful.

In the month since Anakin's departure from Serenno, Obi-Wan's anger at the young man had begun to disperse. Despite the Count's attempts to keep that raised, he was refusing to be baited, though he felt uneasy when he was nearly agreeing with what the Sith was saying to him. Anakin had betrayed him, yes, but he had done so in the mistaken belief that he would betray him. Anakin was a great Jedi, and from media reports, it seemed clear that the Council had not acted against Anakin's disregard for the rules.

Obi-Wan had expected that. There was a war on, the Jedi couldn't risk losing the Chosen One, and if Anakin was smart enough he would have told the Council all about their little chat. If he hadn't, Adi would have done so. He hoped that Anakin was smart enough to figure out his clues. Nothing he had seen so far on the news or from Dooku's insiders suggested that he had.

Obi-Wan picked up the towel which was resting on the back of the chair, placed strategically on the side-lines of the exercise room. He wiped his sweaty face with it, and ran a hand through his hair. "We should act soon," he said. "I know you hope that by keeping me here longer that you may make me fall to your side and become your apprentice, but that is not going to happen."

Dooku raised his eyebrows. "You are more than capable of beating me but to defeat my Master requires more skill then you have now."

"I don't need to defeat him," said Obi-Wan, crossing his arms over his chest. "All I need to do is reveal him." He had different emotions and thoughts over the Supreme Chancellor. Some days he wanted to personally kill the man, but when Dooku showed glee at that, Obi-Wan's instincts kicked in and they warned him that he was treading dangerous ground.

Over the month, due to the changing nature of his moods quite swiftly, Obi-Wan had begun to realise that the Count was still drugging him in some way, but he couldn't figure out the source. He could only attempt to control how much it affected him, which he wasn't able to do all the time.

"Revealing Palpatine is not going to help," replied Dooku smoothly. "He has too many people on his side. They will state that he has led the Republic well and that what he is shouldn't be a barrier towards leadership… nor should it be a barrier that the Jedi oppose."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "You are preparing me for assassination but we can't do that. I may not be looked favourably by the Republic at the moment but the Jedi are still my family."

"They betrayed you," stated the Count.

He had expected that. "Maybe but I can't hold grudges forever. We'll have to work with them eventually, and I'd rather be on good terms then not!" He was feeling angry again, letting Dooku get to him, just as the Sith wanted. The Sith would swoop down and ensnare him if he could, trapping him in his greedy claws, corrupting him until he bowed his knees before Dooku and submitted to his teachings. He knew that was Dooku's ultimate aim. This alliance was a game both were playing with one another, and Obi-Wan was sure that the Count still had the upper edge.

Dooku took a deep breath. "Very well. We will begin discussing a plan of attack. You do have sufficient skill that would come in useful if faced with my Master…" The Count strolled away from Obi-Wan, who watched him wearily. "Come, have a drink with me."

Obi-Wan glared at the Count's back. He was always suspicious of that line. He wouldn't drink what Dooku gave him, merely pretend to do so. At least that way he would be avoiding being drugged again.

* * *

Anakin stood in the centre of the Jedi Council chamber, his hands placed in front of him as he looked upon the wise Masters. He was still being watched by them, though he had been allowed to continue Ahsoka's training.

A month ago the Council had sent him away to mediate and to figure out the identity of the Sith Lord however Anakin had been dispatched by the Chancellor on a military campaign soon after. The Council had tried to block his move as they did not wish Anakin to leave Coruscant at that time, but the Chancellor appeared to be one step ahead of the Council and had passed a legislation that the Council could not take active Jedi Generals out of the field without authorisation from the Chancellor. When requested to take Anakin out of the field, the official office had refused to grant their request.

The Council had been faced with a dilemma – to either expel Anakin and hope he would remain on Coruscant and understand their reasoning, or allow Anakin back onto active duty so that any Sith Lord that may be in control of the Chancellor would not realise that suspicion was turning towards them, if the young man was able to figure out the identity.

What the Council didn't know was that Anakin knew who the Sith Lord was. Palpatine's actions in ensuring he was sent off-world only confirmed to him that he was acting suspiciously. The Chancellor had something to hide and he hoped by keeping Anakin occupied that he wouldn't have time to figure out the clues.

"We have a new assignment for you and your Padawan, Skywalker," said Mace Windu cordially.

Anakin bowed his head. "Yes, Masters."

"The Chancellor has requested your presence when he visits Naboo. There is a niggling doubt that he will be targeted when he is there and he requires Jedi protection. The Council are agreeing to his request because you know the Chancellor better than anybody…" reported Mace.

Anakin saw the older Master exchange a glance with Yoda. "What is it?"

"Believe we do, that Obi-Wan may show himself," Yoda finished, speaking in his gravelly voice.

Anakin swallowed. "Right."

"If you see him, talk to him. Gauge his plans and reactions. Do not capture him," instructed Mace. "We want Obi-Wan back in the fold as much as you, but we cannot treat him like an enemy. To do so will only make him believe the false truths Dooku has fed him."

Nodding, Anakin bowed. "You wish for him to see that the Jedi are not in the wrong? It's a bit hypocritical of that to come from a man who has betrayed him." Anakin had come to realise that what he had done had contributed to Obi-Wan's distrust. He needed to rectify that. He had betrayed his Master, but he didn't intend on continuing to do that. He would ensure that Obi-Wan would not be manipulated.

"You are still close to him, out of any of us, you may still be able to get through to him," added Mace. "If he's being manipulated, Obi-Wan is not responsible for his actions, though regardless, he would still have crimes to answer for."

Anakin shuffled on his feet, wondering if he should alert the Council to his suspicions and realisations concerning the Chancellor. He still didn't have much proof to his assertions though his changing the rule that prevented Anakin from being taken out of active duty only furthered his belief.

"Turmoil I sense within you, young Skywalker," said Yoda. "More to say have you?"

Anakin bit his lower lip. He had to decide whether it would be worth it to reveal what he guessed. "I believe I know something but I'm not sure if I should talk about it yet."

"Your position within the Order is tenuous, Skywalker," highlighted Windu. "You are obliged to tell us anything you learn that could have an advantage to unravelling this war."

Sighing, Anakin knew he didn't have a choice. "I believe that Palpatine is the Sith Lord though I can't be for certain, however his actions lately suggest someone who may be frantic about his identity getting out. He's concerned that Obi-Wan may have told me about his identity… And this is just a feeling, I have no proof of this, but I have the feeling that though Obi-Wan's capture has been ordered, it won't necessarily carry out that way. I think he's ordered Obi-Wan's death. He doesn't know what Obi-Wan told me, and he doesn't know how much he knows… If he's the Sith then the only way to keep Obi-Wan's silence is to kill him."

"Or he could be being manipulated himself…" said Adi Gallia. "The Chancellor cannot be the Sith Lord. We would know it."

"It is clear the Sith Lord is good at hiding themself. They could be using the Chancellor, especially if he is under the control of someone," added Mace Windu. "I agree that the Chancellor's actions lately are suspicious however we do not have enough information to act. Since you are close to the Chancellor, you could get close to him, discover the truth. If we act without certain proof, we will be opening the Jedi Order to prosecution."

The young Jedi could understand their reasoning. "I will be vigilant, Masters. The Chancellor is my friend… I'd rather he wasn't what we all fear."

"Neither do we," replied Plo Koon.

"Now, you have an assignment to prepare for. You need to talk to the Chancellor," instructed Mace.

Anakin nodded and bowed, leaving the chamber.

* * *

The dark side reached out and embraced him. There was danger…

Sidious closed his eyes and listened for the pulses that would tell him of the danger that he could be in.

He was due to depart for Naboo with an honour guard that consisted of Anakin Skywalker and a few other Jedi, but the tunnel he could see in the Force, was embedded in darkness. Just as he preferred it to be but there was a warning screeching at him.

_DANGER! DANGER! _

On Naboo there would be danger.

Then the face of Obi-Wan Kenobi swam into view.

A small grin crossed Sidious' lips. Kenobi would be there and no doubt he would seek out Sidious… The Force was warning him.

It didn't matter; he now knew to be more on his guard than ever before.

If he was lucky he might be able to rid himself of a particular Jedi who could ruin his plans.

Yes… this trip to Naboo might have more than one use after all… He could use Skywalker being there to his advantage as well.

Perhaps by the end of his trip, Kenobi would be dead, and Skywalker would be sliding further into his grasp? He hoped so.

**To be continued…**

**Please let me know what you think! I'm not happy with this chapter at all and it was difficult to write. It feels unneeded as a chapter but I also think it is important to set up what will be happening in the next few chapters. **

**Next chapter will be better than this one… a lot will be happening! Might mean a much longer wait as I am now back at university. **

**Until next time,**

**the-writer1988**


	14. Chapter 13: A Sithly Encounter

**A/N)**** Apologies for the delay in the chapter last week! Uni is getting on top of me and my family life has been manic the past few weeks so I have barely had any time to write. I found some time today and finished off this chapter. Posting a bit later than normal but hey at least it is here, right? :D**

* * *

**Thirteen**

Naboo held painful memories for him. It was the place where his life had changed forever. Obi-Wan, cloaked and standing in the shadows at the top of a tower, peered out onto the tranquil city below. His eyes fixed upon the palace. Memories welled up inside him.

Within the power reactor, Qui-Gon Jinn had died. Here Obi-Wan had fought for his life, and it was there he had first felt the power of the dark side. He had touched the darkness and allowed it to take him within its grasp. It was only falling down the reactor that he had realised it had fed his overconfidence. That had been when his Jedi training had kicked in.

He had outwitted a Sith Lord and killed him, all because he had succeeded in calming his anger and centring himself within the light. But now his soul was grey, no longer in the light as it had always been. Even he could recognise the signs that his continue exposure to Dooku was slowly pulling him down further that dark path. He had to get out from under his influence; he needed time to think.

Yet while Palpatine was still in charge, he could not leave. He had a deal with Dooku and he wanted to see this war ended.

The Chancellor was due to visit Naboo; glancing at his chrono, Obi-Wan figured the Sith Lord would be landing right now, debarking shortly after. A more reckless man would simply attack at that point, but Obi-Wan was not that type of man, even with the darkness that was residing within his soul.

He did feel angry at Palpatine, for he had trained the man that had killed Qui-Gon. His intention on Naboo was not to kill the Chancellor. It was too soon for that. His objective was to threaten the Chancellor. The Sith Lord wouldn't risk revealing himself if he confronted him, not on Naboo where he was regarded as a hero. Dooku had told him that his Master wasn't ready to take full control yet, when the time was right he would risk everything to keep his grip on the galaxy.

Obi-Wan had an advantage in the present, and he intended to use it.

* * *

Anakin descended the ramp, walking right behind the Chancellor, with Ahsoka at his side. The young man silently observed his surroundings, keeping his eyes sharp for any small movement that would threaten the Chancellor. Throughout their trip to Naboo, the Chancellor had been friendly with him, talking to him like they were very old familiar friends. Despite his concerns, Anakin had readily accepted the attention.

The Chancellor always knew what to say to him, so it was becoming increasingly difficult for Anakin to believe that his old friend was truly was Sith Lord. He kept hoping that he was wrong and that Obi-Wan had been misled…

He couldn't deny that his Master had been told things by a man that should not have known them in the first place. The fact that Anakin had only told a few people of his slaughter of the Tusken Raider's clinched it for him that the Sith Lord manipulating everything was indeed, the Chancellor, no matter how reluctant he was to believe it.

"Master…" whispered Ahsoka, as they escorted the Chancellor to the waiting speeder that would take him to the Naboo palace. Two other Jedi Knights were on the assignment too, and both G'Nar Nikkos and Freo Dali were both very capable Jedi Knights. They had requested a restful assignment and the Council had given them the duty of escort, which both were content with, as it enabled them to rest from the pressures of war they had been constantly involved in.

"What is it, Ahsoka?" enquired Anakin.

"I sense danger…" she swallowed; her voice waving slightly as she tried to place the lingering disturbance that was sending gentle ripples out into the Force. "I think someone is targeting the Chancellor."

"Physically targeting him now?" he continued probing, it was a good way to test Ahsoka's growth in the Force. If she could determine if the threat was imminent or not… He stopped short of the speeder, his eyes casting around, as the elder man clambered into the speeder. He could sense a threat in the air but it wasn't imminent.

Ahsoka hesitated. "I don't believe it is happening now…"

Anakin nodded in approval. "Well done. There is a threat coming. But it is not going to happen now." He cast his eyes upwards towards a tower window, fixing upon a shadowed figure in the window-line. He blinked and the figure was gone. He knew who that figure was. He knew that Obi-Wan was here and he was the threat he was sensing.

The question was, was the Force telling Anakin to protect the Chancellor for now? Or was the danger sense surrounding the Chancellor indicating that he would strike and reveal himself?

He had to keep an eye out.

Jumping over the side of another speeder, Anakin and Ahsoka made their way towards the Naboo Palace, certainty falling around.

Whatever was going to happen on Naboo would change everything.

* * *

Alone at last after a tiring day meeting with diplomats and his elected queen, Palpatine shed the disguise of the kindly old man he wore and became Darth Sidious. A dark clock covered his senatorial robes, and he walked slowly down the darkened corridor, having given his Jedi guards the slip. Throughout the day the lingering feeling of danger had continued to gnaw at him, and now he had time to address it himself.

He decided to let himself into the Palace Hall. He had the authorisation codes and his entrance wouldn't be picked up on, unless of course he was being watched, which he knew he was. He could sense and stench that was radiating from the Jedi.

Inside the hall, he kept the lights switched off. He preferred the darkness. Making his way to the centre of the room, he settled himself onto his knees and slid into the darkness of the Force. The path ahead was murky – tonight would determine which path would be trod.

His danger sense flared, and he smirked. The presence he had been sensing drew nearer. His lips curled up in a sneer. "I thought you would come."

"Chancellor."

The Sith Lord slowly rose to a standing position, his back still to the intruder. "Obi-Wan Kenobi, what a pleasant surprise!" He twisted quickly, throwing out his arms as lightening shot from this fingertips, heading straight for the Jedi Master, who stood a little way from him.

A blue lightsaber ignited, battling away the lightening. Sidious ceased his attack, lowering his hands slowly.

"Don't play games with me!" hissed Obi-Wan. He stepped forward slowly. "I'm here for a specific reason. You will let me talk!"

Sidious could sense the darkness rolling off Obi-Wan Kenobi. There was anger and hatred there, resentment of what Sidious was and what he planned to do. Was this man really a Jedi still? No, he wasn't. His soul was corrupted, yet he was still fighting the inevitable. Sidious could feel the conflict within the Jedi, could sense the emotional anguish that cast through his body. For now, he would let the Jedi play this game… He'd let him speak.

After all, there were some Clone Troopers stationed not that far away…

"Very well… speak… and I shall listen to your pitiful words."

Obi-Wan's eyes flared, and his anger gained strength. His free hand clenched tightly into a fist. "I will not let you ruin the Republic that has stood for so long!" he spat out venomously. "You have done enough to ruin the lives of the citizens you swore to serve!"

"And what are you going to do it about it?" Sidious mocked.

"I know things that you wouldn't want getting out," continued Obi-Wan stepping forward, closer to the Sith Lord.

Slowly, the Sith Lord's left hand was moving towards a communicator in his robe pocket. Let Kenobi believe he had a chance of escaping alive.

"Such as?" Sidious enquired, toying with the Jedi and enjoying it.

"I know what you plan to do to the Jedi Order. I know what you plan to do to Anakin. I know what you plan to do to the Republic! I know that you are the orchestrator of everything that has happened in the last ten or so years!"

"Good, good…" smoothed Sidious. "I can sense your hate for me… Use that power!" A dangerous tactic but if he goaded the Jedi then his focus on his surroundings would be lessened. He might not sense the danger of two Clones coming up behind him, with the goal of killing the Jedi…

Kenobi's death would be easy to facilitate as necessary. His behaviour was threatening. And he wasn't backing down. That gave the Chancellor the justification he needed to authorise Kenobi's immediate execution.

"I am not that easily manipulated, _Chancellor_!"

Sidious had to laugh at that obscure statement. Was Kenobi really that naive to think that he _wasn't _under Dooku's control?

"I know that Dooku intends to use me to take down the Republic. I won't let him." Kenobi stepped forward. "And I won't let you lose Anakin either!"

"Your young friend is already mine; he doesn't even know it yet," replied Sidious. Oh, it would give him such pleasure if Skywalker was the one to kill Kenobi. He knew now that the Jedi Master did not pose a threat to him at that moment. Kenobi wasn't intending on killing him just yet, though he had plans to, Sidious was well aware of that. Perhaps Kenobi would have a stray of execution… for now.

He was stepping perilously close to the dark side, whether he wanted to believe it or not. Dooku was doing a marvellous job of manipulating him. Perhaps he could even help with his fall? It was a dangerous tactic to aid his own apprentice's goals, but Kenobi's fall would make Anakin Skywalker more susceptible. Perhaps it was risk he could take?

"If Anakin doesn't know who you are yet I would be very surprised at his lack of intelligence," snarled Kenobi.

That confirmed it then. Kenobi had at least hinted towards his identity. Skywalker hadn't shown any behaviour towards realising his identity. Kenobi clearly thought his apprentice could figure out any clues that might be thrown his way. Skywalker was naïve; he wouldn't believe that a dear friend of his would ever betray him or use him to gain power. Kenobi overestimated Skywalker.

"He doesn't know who I am," Sidious hissed. "To him I am just a friend, someone who has been there for him ever since he arrived at the Jedi Temple all those years ago… At the time when you didn't want him…"

The Jedi Master's eyes flashed in anger. "Don't you dare say that, you TRAITOR!"

A satisfied smile began to curl up at the Sith's lips. Oh this was far too easy to wind the Jedi up. He could even get him to attack… But he could sense another presence heading towards his location. The presence was shining brightly in the Force: clearly the Chosen One was tuned in and was feeling the distress and cracks that Kenobi was undoubtedly projecting in his anger.

"My plans are far to accelerated for you to stop them now. The Jedi Order _will _fall and your apprentice will be _mine_. His soul is so suited to the darkness. After all… he murdered a whole tribe of Tusken Raiders, did he not?" Sidious baited. He waited, satisfaction flooding the Force.

Kenobi's aura wavered. "You taught him that emotions were fine for a Jedi to have, overruling everything I have sought to instruct him in. You are not his friend. You are his destroyer," he said softly, his voice menacing.

Sidious smirked. "And he will be yours too."

He knew what those words would do… _and he was right. _

Kenobi leapt at him, his blue lightsaber coming down in a slash strike.

Sidious leapt back, his black cloak swishing around him, as his hands scrabbled for his own lightsaber, but someone else was there first.

"NOOOO!" Anakin Skywalker Force-leapt between them, bringing his own lightsaber up and locking it together with Obi-Wan Kenobi's. He had leapt down from the balcony above.

Sidious had not sensed Anakin's arrival… he had been too preoccupied in rejoicing in the darkness that reverberated around Kenobi. But it was dark in the room, no lights were on… How much had Skywalker overheard? Quickly, Sidious shook off his cloak and threw it in the corner, becoming the Chancellor once more. He stumbled back as the two combatants in front of him withdrew their locked blades.

"Anakin!" Kenobi hissed. "Stand down!"

Skywalker glanced back towards the Chancellor. "No."

_Interesting… _Sidious mused. _Was Skywalker really defending him? _Surely the young man had overheard what he had said… Surely he must know his identity?

"Don't tell me that you are that stupid to not even to be able to see what is right in front of you?" Kenobi accused.

"I know that he is a friend," responded Skywalker, stepping closer to the Chancellor, his blade raised in a defensive position.

Sidious was surprised.

"So you are on his side," snarled Kenobi. "I overestimated your abilities, _Anakin_. Your trust in your friends will be your downfall."

Skywalker's shoulders shook. "I still trust you to find your way back to us. The Order wants you back, Obi-Wan."

"_No_! Not while you pretend to not know who he really is! And not while you defend him! He is everything you swore to destroy!" Kenobi was nearly screaming, spit flying from his mouth.

The drug Dooku was still feeding Kenobi was working overtime. It was really making him angry… he was in considerable danger of losing control and Skywalker was feeding it spectacularly.

Skywalker's shoulders straightened. "I don't believe you."

That was surprising… Sidious watched. Wary at the sudden turn of events, the Sith Lord probed the Force. Skywalker felt scared, he could feel that so well in his presence, but scared about what?

Kenobi leapt again and Skywalker moved to block.

"NO, Obi-Wan! I won't fight you! And I won't let you take away the best Chancellor the Republic has ever had, just because of your misguided view of him!"

Skywalker was trying to use his bond with Kenobi, that Sidious could feel . He was pouring his energy into it. Something was wrong… He was trying to communicate with Kenobi through their bond they shared… And _that _raised the Sith's suspicions.

Skywalker glanced over his shoulder. "Chancellor, get out of here! I'll deal with this!" Skywalker pressed back against Kenobi, blocking the strikes that the former Jedi Master was raining down, trying to get to the Chancellor.

He started back towards the exit.

"I'll get you! I promise you that, Sidious!" shouted Kenobi, a deep promise etched into his words.

"Obi-Wan, stop being so delusional! He's not who you think he is!" retorted Skywalker. "I know him! He is my friend! He's just a pawn in this war as any of us is!"

Intrigued, Sidious lingered. What was going on? Surely Anakin Skywalker knew who he was? He couldn't be that _naive_? But he appeared to be…

Kenobi tried to leap towards the Sith Lord again, jumping high over Skywalker's position, but Skywalker reached out, and a strong Force push sent Kenobi back into the wall. Skywalker held him there, his back to the Chancellor as he advanced to the enraged former Jedi.

"Let me go, _Skywalker_!" spat Kenobi, struggling against the Force grip, which the younger man had on him. Kenobi's lightsaber was on the floor.

"You've never called me that before…" said Skywalker sadly.

"Maybe I do now because I've realised just how stupid you really are!" Kenobi thrashed out, twisting his head from side to side, trying to break the Force grip but failing miserably against the power Skywalker had.

Sidious could feel the bond between the two dissipating before him. It was crumbling and Kenobi was breaking it.

Even if Skywalker was faking this, he was destroying their friendship. His actions were pushing Kenobi away from any chance of ever returning to the man he once was. This couldn't be more perfect… He suspected Skywalker must know who he was but he had his reasons for defending him. Sidious would look forward to finding out exactly what was motivating Skywalker to fake his belief that Chancellor Palpatine was really just Chancellor Palpatine to his former Master. He clearly didn't know the damage he was causing by doing so…

Slipping out the door, he glanced back one more time. He didn't know what Skywalker had said to Kenobi in those few seconds, but the older man shouted out violently as Anakin retreated: "You mean nothing to me!"

Skywalker reached the Chancellor's position.

"Don't worry, he can't come after us. I've got his lightsaber," said Skywalker. It was clipped onto his belt, having Force-pulled it to his hand during the time he had held Kenobi against the wall. The Jedi Master was still trying to break the hold.

"What do you plan to do with him?" asked Sidious.

"He needs to calm down. Being imprisoned won't help him," admitted Skywalker. "The Jedi Order would like him back and so would I."

"You are letting him walk free after he tried to kill me?" Palpatine said, putting on a bit of fear in his voice. "Several times, I might add!"

Anakin shrugged. "He's misguided, Chancellor, and being manipulated. But being imprisoned won't help him see the truth. I know I should have brought him in, but I feel that he will come back to us. He won't turn his back on the Jedi Order forever. I believe in him."

The Sith studied the young man. Skywalker surprised him. He couldn't work out whether the young man was playing his own game or if he really was blind to the Sith Lord in front of him. He felt uneasy. It would be something he would have to meditate on when he was free of the Jedi. He had to learn whether his plan really was compromised as he thought it was.

* * *

Defenceless, Obi-Wan slowly walked from the building. There was no point in trying to pursue the Chancellor now. He had been successful in what he had come to do. He had threatened the Sith, and he knew that he meant business.

Anakin's unexpected arrival had hindered things. Stunned by the events that had unfolded; Obi-Wan had remained in the building for thirty-five minutes before beginning a slow walk back to his shuttle.

He had hoped that his former protégé would have worked out the Sith Lord from the clues he had given him. Alas, it appeared he had not. For someone who had been very angry only five minutes before, he was now remarkably calm.

Anakin had betrayed him again. He had taken his lightsaber and he had fought against him. And he still didn't trust his Master.

Betrayal hurt.

Deep down, Obi-Wan understood that he could no longer consider Anakin his friend or his brother.

Tears seemed to well up in his eyes and he wanted to cry. He wanted to let out all the misery he was feeling. Everything that had happened to him over the past month and a half was slowly driving him insane. Was he still really the Jedi he once was? Rational thought said no.

He made his way through the shadows of the streets of Theed towards the docking bay where his transport waited. He had arrived on Naboo using a false transponder and fake ID, no one knowing who he really was, though any Force sensitive's on planet would have guessed he was there.

_Why can't Anakin believe that the monster they need to catch is right in front of him? I didn't train a blind student! _

Arriving at the dock, Obi-Wan found the door to his hanger was already open. Suspicion flared and he considered bolting from the area and finding another way off planet, however he reached out with the Force and sensed nothing out of the ordinary. Carefully he peered in through the door, not seeing anything that jumped out of him.

No danger seemed to reverberate through the Force.

Pacing slowly through the hanger towards his shuttle, he saw the ramp was down. Someone had been inside his shuttle. Whoever that someone was, was no longer there.

Had they put a bomb on his ship, hoping to kill him? He tried to sense for any deception but he couldn't sense anything. Warily, knowing that it was stupid to even board the ship, he paced up the landing ramp, passed through the quarters area and into the cockpit.

Sitting on the console was his lightsaber.

The one that Anakin had taken from him barely more than an hour ago.

Befuddled, Obi-Wan picked it up, holding it gently in his right hand. His eyes fell on a piece of flimsy paper that had been crushed underneath the hilt. He picked up the small piece of paper, unfolded it and scrawled across the paper in Anakin's handwriting was:

_I know who he really is._

Obi-Wan almost collapsed into the pilot seat.

Relief spread through him. His anger against Anakin had been unreasonable. Anakin was up to something. He hadn't betrayed him after all. He just didn't want the Sith Lord knowing that he knew just yet, hence his defence of the Chancellor.

He felt more at ease then he had in a while. Anakin wasn't stupid!

Tenderly, he reached for the bond that he shared with Anakin, seeking to reassure him that he had received the message and understood what game Anakin was trying to play.

But it wasn't there.

In his anger at his young friend during their confrontation, he had ripped it apart, shredding any sort of connection that had remained between them.

Obi-Wan's knees buckled and he fell onto the chair, the piece of paper fell to the floor and his lightsaber clattered next to his right foot. Tears fell down his cheeks as regret filled his very soul.

_What have I done? _

**To be continued…**

**Please let me know what you think! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and enjoying this story!**

**As you can see the title to this story is really starting to show through in the narrative. Poor Obi-Wan though. The drug's influence that he is still on made him rather angry in this chapter – confronting Palpatine probably wasn't the best idea. Plus Anakin's own deceit in front of him piled it all on too, so hopefully it is believable. **

**Of course, Anakin and Obi-Wan no longer have their bond. Obi-Wan ripped it apart during that confrontation. And now Obi-Wan knows the truth now that Anakin isn't as stupid as he had assumed he was… As I was writing the confrontation from Sidious' POV, it was bit difficult to describe Obi-Wan physically destroying the bond, so it might be something I might write a small one-shot about or I may insert it into this story somewhere, as it is actually an important plot point.**

**Next chapter: **Things go very wrong for Anakin…

**I honestly have no idea when the next chapter will be posted. It's not written yet. I've decided I'm not going to try to stick to an update schedule – its putting too much pressure on me – so I will update whenever I finish a chapter. That way I won't feel guilty about not updating on Saturday's every week. **

**Hopefully Chapter 14 will be posted soon! **

**Until next time, **

**the-writer1988**


	15. Chapter 14: The Warning

**A/N) As I said I am now updating whenever I finish a chapter. It's given me the chance to relax and not feel pressured about writing this story and trying to give you guys an update. Your support means everything! Originally this chapter was meant to be things going very wrong for Anakin, but that has changed... My plans for this story keeps changing, and it happened again. So rather this is more of a transitional chapter to set up the following chapters. Hopefully it is still enjoyable!**

* * *

**Fourteen**

Anakin had felt the bond break.

And it broke his heart that his Master had done that.

He only had himself to blame for his reckless decision in defending the Sith Lord. It wasn't the right time to reveal his suspicions… It didn't feel right. It was his fault that he had driven Obi-Wan to break the bond. The man had trusted him to work out the information – and he had – but he had taken a riskier route which had destroyed their bond and possibly their friendship.

He could understand why Obi-Wan would break the bond… whatever Dooku was doing to him was working. The former Jedi Master was greyer than ever in the Force.

And that was why he had chosen to leave a message when he returned Obi-Wan's lightsaber to him. He had not intended on doing so, but the thought of further deceiving the man did not sit well with him. He wanted to save Obi-Wan; he wanted to save their friendship…

It was possibly already too late to do that, but there was always a chance that it could be saved.

His body was shaking, feeling like he wanted to be sick. Obi-Wan hadn't just ripped the bond; he had violently shredded it into small pieces and stamped upon them in the Force. He had made the breaking of the bond so painful that Anakin was surprised he had managed to hold his cool. But he had. The only reason he had managed to stay calm was at that moment he had started to feel the shredding of the bond, he had reached for Ahsoka.

She had stabilised him throughout the breaking, throughout the shattering of the deepest friendship he had ever had. Now she sat beside him, watching him carefully. She didn't fully understand what he had done, her Force presence was confused.

"Ahsoka… you need to understand that at the moment I may not be the best Master to teach you the Jedi way," swallowed Anakin. How could he be when he routinely broke rules on a daily basis?

The young Togrutan cocked her head to the side. "Master? What do you mean?"

"You know I've made mistakes. The only reason I'm still in the Jedi Order is because of this war. I'm married… I slaughtered a tribe of Tusken Raiders… And I made a colossal mistake earlier tonight. You felt my anguish through the Force… and you've heard the stories of how deeply Obi-Wan and I are connected. We are brothers in all but name," explained Anakin. He felt her realisation through the Force, as she came to a conclusion as to what had happened.

"Master Kenobi broke it, didn't he? Your bond? That was what I felt…" replied Ahsoka, her eyes wide.

Anakin nodded. "I made him do it by acting like a fool. Obi-Wan knows who the Sith Lord is. And so do I. But I protected the Sith Lord because I don't think it's the right time to reveal that we know… or at least suspect his true identity."

"Protect?" Ahsoka was quite astute for her age, incredibly intelligent. The hints alone would make her realise who he meant. "You don't mean the Chancellor?"

Anakin nodded. "I do."

Ahsoka stood up. "We have to tell the Council! We have to arrest him!"

He laid a hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back down beside him. "No. Not yet. We can't accuse him unless we have absolute proof that he is betraying the Republic. But I do know he is the Sith Lord, I did overhear part of a conversation between him and Obi-Wan earlier." He turned his head away. "He has plans for me, Ahsoka. But I can't use that as proof against him. It's got to be proper evidence that he intends to betray the Republic."

Ahsoka frowned. "If he's the Sith Lord and he knows that Master Kenobi knows… then he'd try to kill him, wouldn't he?" she asked.

"He would… Go on…" prompted Anakin, intrigued by where Ahsoka was going with this.

"But if the Chancellor is the Sith Lord, he'd try to come across as the Chancellor that we all know and respect… What if, instead of ordering the Clones to capture Obi-Wan, he's ordered them to kill him, but to the public, its capture? He can then eliminate him easily by passing his 'execution' off by a rogue clone," reasoned Ahsoka. She felt pleased in herself for deducing a possibility that Anakin had already been contemplating.

"Very good, that's what I suspect to," replied Anakin. "The Council are aware that something doesn't feel right about this. But again, we need evidence to prove that the Chancellor means Obi-Wan harm rather than for interrogation and rehabilitation."

Ahsoka grinned, despite the severity of the situation. "That's easy, Master!" Her hands were placed on her hips.

Anakin's eyebrows crinkled. "How is it easy?"

"Captain Rex and Commander Cody! They are both loyal to you and Master Kenobi! Surely they'd tell you the truth?" Ahsoka seemed sure of that.

His shoulders sagged. "I don't know." He closed his eyes. "The clones may have been Ordered by a Jedi, but you can bet that the Sith were the real creators behind the Order. If they haven't been ordered to keep silent… Clones are trained to follow orders, Ahsoka. If this is a command that they have been told to not reveal to us, they won't break it."

Ahsoka patted Anakin on the back. "But isn't it worth it? This could be the evidence you need!"

Ahsoka was right, Anakin knew that, but was the risk worth taking?

_Yes, because Obi-Wan's life was worth saving._

* * *

"I sensed your distress and anger through the Force, Obi-Wan." Count Dooku was facing the window in his office when Obi-Wan walked into the spacious room; the Sith's hands were folded behind his back. "I could also sense the strong bond you had with Skywalker… but now it is not there. I told you that everyone you love will betray you."

Obi-Wan sighed. "Anakin didn't betray me. I made a mistake." He rubbed his eyes. He had spent the trip back to Serenno crying, which was rather out of character for him, but then everything he had been doing lately was not what he would do either. Obi-Wan had destroyed a part of himself that he had always valued deeply. He had thought he was being betrayed. "I broke the bond… I thought he was defending Palpatine… But he wasn't, well he was," he backtracked. "But he was doing it to deceive the Sith into thinking he hadn't figured out who he was yet. I underestimated Anakin because I was too wrapped up in my anger to think clearly and consider the possibility that he may be tricking the Sith Lord himself!"

Dooku seemed taken aback by Kenobi's words. "I am surprised that Skywalker would be able to even contemplate one of his friends being the enemy he is meant to destroy."

Obi-Wan huffed, turning his back on Dooku as the Sith Lord swivelled to face him. "Anakin is smarter then you give him credit for. And I ruined our friendship. I know you are still doing something to me, Dooku. I have legendary control over my feelings but now everything is all over the place!" he spat. "You are not keeping to your end of the bargain! You are still drugging me!"

_I'm glad you've finally noticed that, Obi-Wan. _

The voice was back, the voice that belonged to his dead Master. He ignored it, focusing his attention on the Count.

"How did you know?" the Sith asked casually, as if he hadn't done anything wrong.

"Because I've come to recognise what the drug will do to me. I wouldn't have gone off the wall like I did if I wasn't drugged when I confronted Palpatine, even with Anakin there!" retorted Obi-Wan angrily. He could sense the effects beginning to build up again as he let the anger he had been feeling spew forth. "I don't know how you are giving it to me, but I won't let you any longer!"

Dooku smirked. "Surely you realise by now, Obi-Wan, that deception is the way of the Sith?" His aged hand gently trailed underneath the table top. "I was never going to let you easily get away from me."

Danger flared in Obi-Wan's senses. He reached for his lightsaber, but before his hand could even reach the hilt, something hit him in the back. His body become rigid and he fell flat onto his back. A paralysing stun blast. Not what he needed right now. His whole body was immoveable, he could not even speak, only watch the Sith Lord.

The Count slowly approached him, looking down his nose at the young man. "I always knew you would work it out eventually. I had hoped that before you did, you would be mine so it wouldn't matter." The old man knelt beside him. "I underestimated young Skywalker. I need you, Obi-Wan, whether you are willing to or not."

Obi-Wan's eyes spoke the question that he wanted to ask.

"I am going to _break_ you. I am going to rip your mind apart and rebuild you in the Sith that you should be. And you will be my apprentice," replied Dooku venomously. "You _will _help me to destroy the Jedi and the Republic."

The yellow eyes only told him that Dooku really meant it this time. His game with Obi-Wan was at an end. Anakin had ruined his plans by admitting to Obi-Wan that he had known who the Sith Lord really was and was attempting to play Sidious. Obi-Wan's guilt over breaking his bond with Anakin had cleared his mind for the first time in weeks. He had sensed then how much of a grip Dooku had on his soul.

He had never fully trusted Dooku but he had thought that if he really wanted Obi-Wan on his side, he would not continue to deceive him by drugging him. Even now, lying flat out on his back, Obi-Wan could not fathom out how the Sith Lord had managed to keep dosing him up.

A hand grabbed his chin, twisting his face so that he had to look at Dooku's face. "Regretting making that deal with me now, Obi-Wan?" mocked the Sith.

If Obi-Wan could have replied, he would have done.

All he could do was glare.

Dooku rose and glanced towards the guards that had been responsible for stunning Obi-Wan. "Prepare him."

* * *

His personal communicator had a message waiting for him when Anakin switched it on to notify Commander Cody and Captain Rex that he wished to speak to them. The message, as Anakin, had read it had made the ache of the bond breaking easier to bear.

Obi-Wan had sent him a message before he returned to Serenno. The words filled his heart with hope.

_Anakin, _

_You are playing a dangerous game, like Dooku is with me. You don't mean nothing to me, you are my brother and always will be. You have kept secrets from me and that is hard to forgive … but ripping the bond apart is an action that I cannot even forgive myself for. I should not have acted in anger. I was hurt by your seemingly betrayal to not believe that Palpatine could be the Sith Lord. _

_Palpatine wants you as his apprentice, Anakin, and he will stop at nothing to make sure he gets that. Be wary of him. _

_I know Dooku is doing something to me. I have a clear head for the first time in ages. I can't come back yet, I need to work this out… But I don't want our friendship to end. When this is all over we will need to talk. I can't come back yet. But I will. _

_Palpatine will betray us all. He has already ordered my execution. The clones will not capture me. They will kill me. They have been programmed with this order, despite the public announcement the Chancellor made that I am to be brought into custody. I'm too dangerous to be allowed to live. I know who he is. And I can spill his secrets if I so wish to._

_If you intend on playing this dangerous game with him, Anakin, be careful. If he discovers your deception, he will use me against you. And your wife. _

_May the Force Be With You._

_Kenobi._

Anakin reread the message several times. The most important piece of information was about the orders the clones had on Obi-Wan. Still, he wanted to verify this before he could present this as evidence to the Council or to the Senate.

Closing his eyes, he could feel the Force pulsing around him, but it was shifting directions. Choices fell before him, so many choices to be had. It all rested on him and Obi-Wan and their ultimate decisions.

The fate of the Republic and the Jedi Order fell on their shoulders.

Both of them had the ability to save or condemn everyone to oppression and ultimately death.

The worrying part was that if they both chose unwisely, they'd become enemies, and one would kill the other in the end.

* * *

Immersed deeply in the Force, Yoda concentrated his thoughts upon the broken strands that he could sense had once belonged to the strong bond that connected together two of the Order's most powerful Jedi; now that potential was broken, shattered into thousands of pieces.

Shifting his focus, he concentrated on the futures of the two Jedi Knights.

Skywalker's future remained clouded; a grey aura was settled over Force potential. Kenobi's, on the other hand, was darker. For a few hours earlier it had felt much lighter, as if a large weight had been lifted from his shoulders, yet something significant had happened since then.

He was in pain and he was suffering…

And then the Force expanding and Yoda witnessed a possible future.

_Two Jedi with yellow eyes circled each other slowly. _

_The younger of the two, his eyes were filled with tears, and he glanced towards a smoking body on the floor. _

_A woman lay lifeless on a platform on a fiery planet, the smoking hole of a lightsaber blade was through her chest. _

_Padmé Amidala, Senator of Naboo, the wife of Anakin Skywalker was dead. _

"_You killed her," the younger man said. "You killed her and my unborn children!" _

"_She was a barrier towards you fulfilling your true potential," Obi-Wan Kenobi smirked, his yellow eyes glinting in the red light. "You are better off without her." _

"_I LOVED HER! She was my reason for everything!" yelled Anakin, thumbing his lightsaber on. _

"_Love is for weaklings, like you," Kenobi sneered, his lips drawing upwards, his tongue tracing his bottom lip. _

"_You will pay for what you've done and then peace will be restored to the Republic!" shouted Anakin. _

_Kenobi laughed. "Your Sith Master will not bring peace to the Republic. He will destroy it. Only Dooku and I have the power and the potential to keep the Republic intact, and to bring back the democracy that the Senate and the people need." _

_Anakin sniffed. "And you murdered a woman who wanted that too." He raised his blue lightsaber. _

"_She was weak. The Republic doesn't need weak Senators." _

_Anakin Skywalker leapt at Obi-Wan Kenobi. _

_Lightsabers clashed together, as the two Force users engaged in a battle to the death. _

Yoda's eyes opened.

What he had seen was the most possible future for them. Right now, motions were in place that both Jedi would fall, regardless of how much they tried to prevent it.

Now was not the time for secrets.

He had to seek out the one Jedi he still had the ability to help, to prevent this horrid future, this bleak outcome of a partnership that had inspired so many other young Jedi.

Master Yoda needed to talk to Anakin Skywalker.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! Thank you for the support!**

**The last chapter really threw a spanner in the works for Dooku's plans for Obi-Wan. So he is having to take action to keep him on his side. And what that action is will be revealed in the next chapter. Dooku can't simply run back to Sidious now and expect to be received with open arms. Things will get worse before they get better in this story. **

**The next chapter may be rather dark... I hope to have it posted soon.**

**Until next time,**

**the-writer1988**


	16. Chapter 15: A Trapped Soul

**A/N) Thank you for the reviews for the last chapter! This one completely focuses on Obi-Wan and Dooku. We will return to Anakin in chapter 16! Chapter 16 is already being written and I'm well into it, so hopefully it will be done quite soon.**

* * *

**Fifteen**

"The prisoner is secure, my lord," the robotic tones of the droid jolted Dooku from his thoughts. He had been considering whether the action he was taking was the right one, but upon reflection he had realised that Kenobi would never willingly join him as long as he knew Skywalker was toying with Sidious, nor would he 'work' alongside Dooku while he was aware that he was still being fed the drug.

That deemed only one course of action.

And it wasn't death.

He wasn't willing to lose his prize. Kenobi was his. He had made a claim to the man and he intended to keep him, regardless of the Jedi's own feelings on the matter.

What Dooku needed to achieve was to force Kenobi into forgetting the hours after his confrontation with Sidious, when Skywalker had given him that message. He also required ensuring Skywalker became a permanent enemy, one that Kenobi would never listen to, would never trust ever again.

This required deception on a massive scale.

But, that was the way of the Sith after all.

Kenobi was strapped down to a table, knocked unconscious by a rather strong sedative. At the same time, the drug _Fever _that Dooku had not stopped giving Kenobi since they had made their deal, was also being intravenously given. And he was being pumped with a very high dose, so that when he woke up, the utter betrayal by Anakin Skywalker would be completely believed.

First, Dooku needed to access Kenobi's memories. Thankfully he had attached a Force suppressor around the Jedi's neck to prevent him from blocking any access into his mind. In an unconscious state, Kenobi's mind was a playground for Dooku to wreak havoc in. He could easily find the relevant memories and emotions that had resulted from Skywalker's admittance, and erect a strong enough Force barrier against them that Kenobi would have no recollection of Skywalker ever sending him a message; nor would he ever realise that Skywalker was not betraying him.

When he woke up, Kenobi would fall easily. The young man would not be able to escape his fate. If his original plan fell through, this had always been the back-up plan.

The other part of the process was something that Dooku was not keen on doing, but it was necessary as it would further alienate Kenobi from the Jedi Order, and especially from Anakin Skywalker. A vibro-blade lay to the side. This device would be used to scar Kenobi's face.

Dooku would claim that it was the handy-work of Skywalker. This deception would be the fall of Kenobi. Perhaps the scarring would motivate Kenobi to even kill his former apprentice?

_Oh, that would be sweet,_ Dooku grimaced.

"He is ready for the first part of the procedure?" commented Dooku, glancing sideways at the medical droid.

"He is. His vitals are stable and I judge he will not wake up for some time."

"Good," smiled Dooku. "This may take a while. A Jedi, such a strong one as him, will be difficult to deceive. If he begins to wake and I am not done, put him back under. He must not know, under any circumstances, what is being done to him." He waited for acknowledgement from the droid, before he centred himself deep into the Force, reaching out and placed his hands on either side of the unconscious Jedi's face.

And he forced himself into Kenobi's mind.

* * *

Obi-Wan was aware that something was happening to him that he could not prevent. He was unconscious, he knew that, yet he was also aware of a dark mind pressing against his own, seeking something.

His mind was defenceless, he could not fight back. The drug in his system and the Force-collar was preventing him from mounting any kind of attack back.

_Don't give in, Padawan. _

The voice was back again.

Qui-Gon.

His mind raced. How could Qui-Gon be talking to him if he was Force-supressed?

_This state is virtually unknown to many Jedi. No one thinks to block off contact from others. I can still talk to you, as you to me, if you wish to. I am Qui-Gon Jinn. I am and was your Jedi Master. And I can help you. _

"What is Dooku doing?" Obi-Wan wondered aloud.

_He's trying to block certain memories, so that you fall to the dark side. If you do not fight back, he will succeed. And I may not be able to help you. _

The darkness pressed in around him in the space he was in, seeking to encase him. Obi-Wan shrunk back from it. Little tendrils snaked around his wrists, but he yanked his arms away, not wishing to give Dooku what he desired most of all.

"What does he want to block? How can I defend myself if I'm prevented from using the Force?" asked Obi-Wan.

_Anakin's admittance to you that he is fooling Palpatine. When you wake, you will believe Anakin has betrayed you again… and that he scarred you… unless you stop this memory from being taken from you,_ the voice answered. _You don't need the Force to achieve a mental block. _

Obi-Wan swallowed.

The dark tendrils trailed toward him again.

_If they encase you, Dooku has won, _warned Qui-Gon Jinn.

_I can't fight them off forever! _Wherever he was, it wouldn't be possible to fight Dooku off constantly. He would eventually find a way to get Obi-Wan on his side, but he could give him a fight.

_No, you can't, _admitted Qui-Gon, _but you can control how much Dooku _controls _you and how much he makes you forget. _

"How can I do that?" queried Obi-Wan to the pressing darkness. "And how can I trust you? You tried to trade me in for Anakin."

A ghostly shape appeared in the darkness, dressed in Jedi robes. Qui-Gon Jinn's older face looked sad; his eyes that had once sparkled at life were dull and grey. "That is the drug talking, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan stilled. He instinctively knew that Qui-Gon had never meant to hurt him, had never intended to give the impression that he didn't wish for Obi-Wan to be his apprentice anymore, that he hadn't wanted to abandon him. His Master had known he was ready for Knighthood. How could he doubt that?

"If I had survived Naboo, I would have recommended you to the Council for Knighthood," replied Qui-Gon. "As it was, that mission was your trial. You were a Padawan for longer than you should have been, I did not want to let you go, and that is the truth of it."

Despite not needing to breathe mentally, Obi-Wan took in a deep breath. "Do you really mean that?"

"I do," Qui-Gon inclined his spectural head. "I believe it was the Force's will that we remained together for as long as we did. Anakin was always meant to be your Padawan. I sensed a bond forming between you two from the moment you met. My purpose in life was to bring you and the Chosen One together. Dooku seeks to break that up as does Sidious. Don't let him do that."

Obi-Wan's eyes flickered to the dark tendrils of energy that flickered near his boots. He was keeping them at bay at the moment, but there was an increasing pressure in the darkness, as if something insidious was trying to press through whatever mental block he had to gain control of him and his memories. "But to survive this, I have to let Dooku win this round."

"You do… but a willing mind has the ability to see through things that should not be there…" hinted Qui-Gon.

"How will I be able to separate the truth from the false memories?"

Qui-Gon's image was fading. _You will know. _

And then he was gone.

* * *

Encased within Kenobi's mind, Dooku was getting frustrated. Placing a mental block, even on a Jedi that was incapable of erecting shields was hard work. Kenobi was fighting him. The dark tendrils he was using to block the few specific memories he needed the Jedi to forget were at a standstill.

Oddly, he had felt a familiar presence within Kenobi's mind, one that should not be there, because he was dead. Perhaps it was the remnants of the bond Kenobi had once shared with Qui-Gon Jinn that he was feeling? But why would that bond be active? It felt active. The Jedi was Force-supressed, so it should not be!

The presence dwindled and Dooku pressed forward.

He had the memory in sight, and sent dark power towards it.

* * *

Obi-Wan fell to his knees as pain erupted in his head. The dark tendrils moved toward him at lightning speed. "NO!"

The energy encased his upper legs, sweeping around tightly.

"Get off!" he panicked, but the tendrils only moved faster, encasing him further and further.

_Remember… a willing mind has the ability to see through things that should not be there… _

And Obi-Wan knew what he had to do.

He calmed himself, making his body slack. The tendrils continued to twist round his body until his arms were tied at his sides.

He could feel the memory slipping away from him, his emotions getting darker and darker as the anger he had felt flooded his body once again.

Yet, despite this, he held onto one thing.

"Anakin did not betray me… Anakin did not betray me… Anakin did not betray me…"

He repeated this over and over, until he could speak no more as the tendrils covered his mouth. But his mind continued to think the same words over and over: _Anakin did not betray me… Anakin did not betray me… Anakin did not betray me…_

And then he forgot…

* * *

Dooku's eyes fluttered open.

The medical droid was still there, monitoring the machines that Kenobi was hooked up to.

"How long was I out for?"

"Five hours, my lord," answered the droid in a monotone voice.

_Five hours… That took me longer then I thought. How was Kenobi putting up such a fight? _The Count had sensed the sudden surrender of the Jedi to his wishes. He had found that odd… almost frightening, as he had considered the possibility of Kenobi finding a way to prevent what he was doing without having any access to the Force.

So he had tested the barriers he had erected in place to stop the memories he had hidden from ever being accessed by their owner. They were held in place by dark energy, entwined into the very fabric of Kenobi's Force presence. The only way he would even recognise the deception would be if he turned fully back to the light side of the Force and embraced the Jedi way. As long as he remained loyal to Dooku and the dark side, Kenobi would be his to control.

The barriers were far too strong.

He removed the Force collar from Kenobi's neck and sensed for his Force signature. It was grey, dark tendrils infiltrating it and anger poured from it, just as it had been before Skywalker had sent that infernal note to Kenobi. Dooku had also taken the liberty of destroying the paper with the message Skywalker had sent his Master. He had also searched everywhere he could to ensure Kenobi hadn't been crafty enough to make copies.

Just to be on the safe side he had also destroyed all the data-pads he owned and replaced them with new ones. The computer on the shuttle Kenobi had used had also been destroyed and replaced, its memory drive checked for any sign of any copy of the message. There hadn't been but he had to take every precaution.

Dooku could not afford Kenobi waking up to the fact that he was being betrayed and manipulated by the man who sought to save him.

"The first part of the procedure is complete," he informed the droid.

Picking up the vibro-blade that was on the tray next to him, Dooku clutched the handle tightly in his hand. Normally he would get a lackey to perform this type of procedure… but when it concerned Obi-Wan Kenobi, he could not afford any mistakes. They would be costly if he allowed anyone other than himself to complete this part.

Placing the blade against the right side of Kenobi's cheek, just below the eye, he cut a deep gash down his cheek. Blood spewed from the wound, and he picked up a gauze, immersed in bacta. Placing it delicately over the area he had just cut, the bacta gause would begin healing the wound but it would leave a scar.

Kenobi would remain unconscious until the open wound was beyond the first stages of healing.

Then he would wake, and Dooku would learn if the Jedi truly was his.

He felt confident now that things were _finally _going his way.

* * *

The Force felt different.

Sidious had felt the change.

It unnerved him.

He had sensed the brightening of Kenobi's soul before it became dark again. What was Darth Tyranus doing? The Count was smart enough to know that he could no longer turn to his Master for help. His continual obsession with Kenobi had made that so. The changing natures had convinced the Sith Master that to continue with Dooku as his apprentice was a bad move.

Sidious was on his own now without the ability to control the Separatists. He still had control of the Republic army through the Jedi Order, but first he had to eliminate the Separatists before he could even contemplate exterminating the Jedi. Dooku was a problem that needed to be removed.

But the Count was intelligent enough that he would expect Sidious to try to attack him.

Sidious needed Skywalker.

He knew what the future entailed as long as he played his cards right.

Skywalker and Kenobi would meet in an epic duel as Sith Lords, both fighting for the dark side, both for the same agenda, but both would loathe one another. Sidious had seen it. The crux of that fight would be the death of Padmé Amidala, the secret wife of Anakin Skywalker, at the hands of former Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

From the vision he had been permitted to receive from the Force, it seemed she was pregnant when Kenobi struck her down.

Sidious had already stretched out his Force awareness towards the Naboo Senator, searching for the sense of life growing within her, but there was nothing there. The Senator was not pregnant, not yet anyway.

The dark side pulsed, informing the Sith Lord that he had to wait, wait for Padmé Amidala to fall pregnant before his plans could continue. He had always trusted the dark side, it had served him well, yet there was a danger in waiting. Dooku could strike, could ruin his plans, yet he was always forewarned if things were not going the way he had planned them to be.

But he had never dealt with betrayal from another apprentice before.

Sidious had betrayed and killed his Master in his sleep.

Was that a fate that awaited him?

That was one of the prime reasons for cutting Dooku off. Though it lessened the resources that Sidious could count on, it greatly lessened the risk of him being murdered unexpectedly.

He had waited many years for his plans to reach fruition, and he wouldn't let his disobedient apprentice ruin it for him now. If the dark side was correct, Skywalker would fall within a matter of months, Amidala would be dead, and the Jedi Order would be wiped out by two very different Sith Lords.

_Just a few more months and then the galaxy will be mine…_

* * *

The man slept peacefully in the darkness; the tight tendrils around his body flickered, squirming around the prone body, maintaining its hold on the figure.

All the light that had once been the man was gone, replaced by the darkness that was entwined completely around his body.

And yet, despite this, someone stood beside him, watching over him; a guardian angel, ensuring the safety of the man and of who he truly was.

There would be a time when he would awake and fight back, but for now, the Force had other plans for the physical body in the outside world was just the vessel. He would sleep peacefully until he was needed. And the two would join, uniting in their differences to become a more powerful Jedi then they were before these events.

_I will watch over you until it is time for you to re-emerge, my Obi-Wan._

In the darkness of Obi-Wan Kenobi's mind, the Force ghost of Qui-Gon Jinn watched over the blocked memories, waiting for the moment when the young man would be released once more.

**To be continued… **

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Obi-Wan is in deep water now… or rather the true Obi-Wan personae is now in a very deep sleep, trapped by the dark side… but being watched over by Qui-Gon. All those parts with Obi-Wan took place inside his mind. Qui-Gon's words might be a bit confusing to some… he's telling Obi-Wan to not give in but on the other hand he tells him to give in because Obi-Wan simply cannot fight Dooku off from altering/blocking his memories. But Qui-Gon has helped Obi-Wan to lay the seeds that may help in the future… **

**And yes, Dooku has physically scarred Obi-Wan… A deception on Dooku's part to ensure that Obi-Wan does not renew his friendship with Anakin… to ensure that he sees him as an enemy. **

**The only good thing going for Dooku at the moment is that he has supreme control of the Separatists… Sidious only has the Republic… No longer is Sidious able to play *that* game. **

**Next chapter: **Anakin, Yoda, Rex and Cody!

**Until the next time, **

**the-writer 1988 **


	17. Chapter 16: Political Games

**A/N)** Thank you for the comments on the last chapter. This chapter took me a bit longer to write... I think this chapter classes as a transitional chapter despite several important things happening within it. And I honestly cannot promise an update for next week either, but I will try my very best.

* * *

**Sixteen**

Just as Anakin was preparing to leave the Jedi Temple to go to the clone barracks, his pocket vibrated as his communicator signalled an incoming message. He lifted it out of his pocket and saw to his surprise a message from Master Yoda, instructing him to come to his chambers at that moment. He shook his head, and pocked the communicator and started to swiftly walk up the corridor.

Thankfully he hadn't contacted the two clones that he wished to speak to them. He knew they were off-duty as they were both attached to his and Obi-Wan's squadron and while Anakin was grounded, the clone battalions that they controlled were on standby duty, sharing guard duty with the fleet protecting Coruscant.

Anakin walked quickly through the corridors of the ancient temple, side-stepping over Jedi and the initiates as he took the shortest route to Master Yoda's quarters. He stopped outside the room and pressed the door to open.

Yoda was waiting for him, sitting cross-legged on the floor, almost in a meditative state, though not quite there.

Anakin settled himself down on the mat facing Yoda and waited, choosing not to speak. Yoda had summoned him for a reason. He had to wait until the Master was ready to talk before they could open communications.

It was an awkward few minutes before the aged Master spoke, but when he did, it was a gravelly voice, filled with concern.

"Saw a possible future, I did; involved you and Master Kenobi, and your wife."

Anakin stilled, his body trembling from trepidation. He swallowed, trying not to let his fear show.

"Share it with you, I can. Join with me in the Force," instructed Yoda, closing his eyes.

Anakin didn't wish to do that. Whatever Yoda had seen had concerned him enough to involve Anakin without the Jedi Council. He didn't even want to consider what possible future that could come to pass that would worry the Jedi Master so much. A terrible inkling filled the pit of Anakin's stomach, but he did as he was instructed, closing his eyes and reaching out into the smooth current of the Force, pushing his senses out until they became entwined with Yoda's strong, pulsing aura.

It was here that the vision that Yoda had experienced reached for him and Anakin saw himself with the yellow eyes of a Sith Lord, keeping eye contact with the yellow eyes of Ob-Wan Kenobi; near to them was a smoking body on the floor.

Anakin felt his heart clenched as his mind processed what he had seen. His beloved wife was _dead_. He heard himself accuse Obi-Wan of murdering her and their unborn children… In death Padmé Amidala had been pregnant… Yet Obi-Wan seemed unremorseful for the atrocity he had committed. Words were battled together, and he saw himself acknowledge that Palpatine was his Sith Master.

In this vision, this possible future, Anakin had joined the dark side of the Force. And it was all to bring peace to the Republic. Two former Jedi, bitter enemies, fighting to the death.

Anakin rose from the vision, his eyes feeling wet, and he rubbed them dry, before trying to compose himself. "Is that what will happen?"

"No… It could happen. Your attachment to your wife will be your downfall," explained Yoda, "unless you come to terms with her loss before she passes."

Anakin shook his head. "I can't do that… I love Padmé. She completes me, Master."

"Asked us you did if your marriage to Senator Amidala had affected your performance as a Jedi. Admitted we did that it had not," reminded Yoda. "In the future, your performance will be…"

Signing in admission, Anakin took a deep breath. "How can I prevent this vision from coming true? Obi-Wan sent me a message. He knows that I didn't defend Palpatine because I refused to believe his identity…"

"Dark clouds his aura now. Gone he is."

Anakin shook his head. "No. I refuse to believe that. I got through to him!"

"Done Dooku something has!" retorted Yoda. "No longer in the light is Master Obi-Wan! For him, this future is very real. Only you can change what could be!"

"I would never join with the Sith Lord," stated Anakin, his blue eyes blazing. "Never."

"Not even to save the one you love?" quipped Yoda solemnly.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, Anakin couldn't bring himself to answer.

"That is why attachment is forbidden to a Jedi."

Anakin bowed his head. "What can I do?"

"Not lost to us completely is, Master Kenobi. Save him you can. Help you, I will. Perhaps show me the value of attachment you can."

Anakin blinked. "You want to work with me?" Now that was an interesting proposition.

"Together we can capture Master Obi-Wan. Bring him back to the Temple we could. Perhaps undo what Count Dooku has done. If allowed to remain free, wreak havoc on the galaxy and the Republic, he will." It was not a sobering thought. "Perhaps prevent the future from happening."

Anakin nodded. He could see the value in this. Yoda was an excellent fighter, powerful in the Force, yet the solution was not to kill Obi-Wan, but to save him from himself. Yoda had the ability to perhaps get to the bottom of this.

He almost wished he could sense Obi-Wan's presence again but he couldn't. Where their bond had been was an overwhelming sense of darkness. Yoda was right, Obi-Wan was gone.

_For now. I will get him back, _vowed Anakin.

"An idea you have, where to start do you?" enquired Yoda.

"Yes, I do. Just before you called I was going to go to speak to Captain Rex and Commander Cody about the orders they were given regarding Obi-Wan. In the message that Obi-Wan sent me, he said that the clones have explicit instructions to kill him, not to capture, despite the very public announcement made by the Chancellor," explained Anakin, feeling slightly nauseas at the idea that a man he had admired as a child could ever contemplate going against his word to preserve a life. "If they've been given an execution order, we can perhaps begin building a case against the Chancellor. If there is stronger opposition against him, it might make it easier to unveil him as a monster, allowing us to act against him."

Anakin remembered the reason why the Council couldn't act against the Chancellor just yet. They had no proof for their assertions, but if the clones had been given execution orders, it would perhaps convince other members of the Jedi Council that Palpatine was the Sith Lord. The Council had all heard of his report of what had happened on Naboo, but the few pessimists of the Masters didn't want to act until they had far more proof then mere discussion between a rogue Jedi and a state leader.

He could see their point but it still seemed pointless to continue denying the fact that Palpatine truly was a Sith Master at work, in complete control of the Republic and, to an extent, the Jedi Order.

Yoda retrieved his stick. "A good place to start as any. Talk to the clones we will."

* * *

When they arrived at the clone barracks which were located near to the military spaceport, Yoda and Anakin found Rex and Cody waiting for them. They both wore their armour but not their helmets, which both held underneath the crooks of their right arm.

"General Yoda, General Skywalker," they both saluted at their arrival.

"Captain Rex, Commander Cody," Anakin inclined his head. "We wish to talk to you privately. Is there anywhere we could go where we would not be overheard?"

"There is," answered Cody, nodding towards one of the small barrack housing just to the right of the entrance of the grounds. "There shouldn't be anyone there at this time of day."

Anakin and Yoda exchanged a look, before leading the way. There was a slight drizzle as the moved towards the barracks. Anakin's hair started to curl slightly at the ends of the few loose strands. He opened the door to the barracks.

There was a small office inside with six bunks, three on either side. No one was home, which he was pleased about. During the day the clones usually not on active duty spent their time continuing to train at the training grounds that were also situated on site. They needed to keep up with their aim and training. A slight misstep could cause the doom of an entire battalion. Though they received thorough training on Kamino, it didn't end when they were dispatched to war.

"Please sit down," said Anakin. He and Yoda stood beside the desk, waiting for Rex and Cody to settle down on the two chairs that were also present in the barrack room.

"Is something wrong, General?" Rex enquired, looking uneasily.

Anakin hated this. "We have a few questions to ask of you."

Yoda had told him to conduct the questioning himself while he tried to read the clones responses in the Force.

"It's about Obi-Wan," continued Anakin, leaning back against the desk, trying to not let fear show on his face. "What are your orders regarding Master Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

"To capture and bring into Republic custody," answered Cody.

"Are you sure about that?" continued Anakin. He couldn't sense deception from them. "I have been in contact with Master Kenobi and he told me that the clone army have been given explicit instructions to kill him on sight and to not capture as the Supreme Chancellor publicly announced. Do you have an explanation as to why he would believe he will be executed?"

"Our orders are to capture, not to kill," said Cody.

"Rex?" Anakin shifted his gaze to his friend and captain.

"To capture, General Skywalker," replied Rex, his back stiff and straight against the chair he was sitting in. "He is working with the Separatists. Perhaps to maintain his loyalty to them, they have told him that he will be executed if he attempts to return?"

Anakin frowned. "I don't think that is it, Obi-Wan isn't easily deceived." Though on reflection, apparently he was easy to deceive, but it looked like that was down more to the use of mind-altering drugs which were the cause of his easy slide into believing the worst of others. He didn't say that out loud though. "And you are certain that is what your orders are concerning Master Kenobi?" he tried one last time.

Cody looked a bit agitated. "We are absolutely positive that our orders are to capture, not to kill General Kenobi," he reaffirmed.

"Finished we are," said Yoda. The older Jedi began to walk away, hobbling away.

Anakin opened the door for him, and they walked back outside into the drizzly rain which was pouring slightly harder. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the two clones exit the barracks and begin to walk away. "Well that didn't help with anything," sighed Anakin.

"Hiding something they are. Ordered to not tell us the truth they have been," noted Yoda. "Felt it in the Force."

"Why didn't you say?" accused Anakin, turning on the smaller Jedi Master. "We need that confession!"

Yoda just inclined his head back in the direction where Cody and Rex had walked to.

Anakin's eyes widened. Rex was running back to them.

"Generals!"

Rex reached their position. "I had to lie. Commander Cody is my superior. To contradict him in front of him would be my death."

"And?" pressed Anakin.

Rex glanced around, his eyes sweeping the grounds, searching for anyone that might be in ear-shot of overhearing. Thankfully in the pouring rain, most were inside weathering the wet in the dry and warm of their barracks. "I can confirm that we have orders to kill General Kenobi. These orders come directly from the Supreme Chancellor."

"Thank you, Rex," breathed Anakin. They had what they came for. "Would you state this officially for the record if you were asked?"

"Yes, sir. It does not sit well with me that a man that I have served under could be considered dangerous enough to be killed when his actions are through misguidance and manipulation rather than through his own choices. Commander Cody will follow the rules, regardless of what they may entail," explained Rex. "Do not hold this against him… I may have more of a conscience then Cody does. I'm a younger model then him… the original DNA is being stretched that the obedience laws that we all follow will be easier to break as we become more our own person. I would rather not deal out an injustice. General Kenobi has my respect. The Chancellor has lied to the Republic. In my opinion, he is not fit to lead the Republic."

"Loyal to the Jedi you are," awarded Yoda. "Commended you will be when over this all is."

Rex saluted. "I do not expect any reward for my actions, only justice dealt out in the way it should be, rather than falsified."

Anakin smiled and patted Rex on the shoulder. "Don't let anyone in on what is going on, ok?"

"You have my silence, sir," Rex confirmed.

And that was all they could ask him for.

* * *

The information that Anakin and Yoda had acquired was debated in the Council session amongst the Masters which Anakin was not partial to. He waited outside, getting more agitated by the minute while the debate roared on inside.

The Council had to decide what they wanted to do with the information they had. Potentially they could make it public about the two different orders, thereby gaining the ire of the Chancellor. And if he was the Sith Lord, then undoubtedly he'd have plans in place that meant he could control or possibly eliminate the Jedi Order. The Council couldn't risk open warfare while the Chancellor had control over the clone army.

Anakin sighed, sitting back, eyes fixed on the polished doors, waiting for them to open. He closed his eyes and sought the broken bond between him and Obi-Wan. It was still there, shattered in his mind, the tendrils gone in darkness. _I refuse to believe that he's gone! _

"Skywalker!"

His eyes flew open. Standing in front of him was Master Windu, arms folded across his chest.

"Master Windu," replied Anakin, a little shakily. He had nearly let his emotions get the better of him. He was deeply regretted the choices he had made which had led to Obi-Wan severing the bond. Would they ever rebuild it?

"You are required in the Council chamber," Mace strolled back in to the chambers.

Sighing heavily, Anakin got to his feet and walked inside, taking his place in the centre of the chambers. He bowed his head. "Masters."

"In light of your discovery about the orders concerning Master Kenobi, we have decided to take a course of action that will hopefully enable the Jedi Order to survive," stated Mace Windu, quite calmly. "It is quite clear to the Council now that Chancellor Palpatine is _not _who he says he is. Regardless of that, this Council does not have politically leeway to force a Chancellor from his position. With the execution order on Master Kenobi, we believe it may be possible for the clone army to have these exact same orders on all of the Jedi Order."

Anakin hadn't even considered that possibility, thinking about it though; it made sense for the clones to be used as the tools for any Jedi's execution. He swallowed, watching the other Jedi Masters.

"We need to gain political support within the Senate," continued Adi Gallia. "To do this we need someone willing to speak out against him. Our political sources indicate that there is a growing number of Senators unsatisfied with the Chancellor. Your wife is among them."

He had a horrible feeling what they were about to ask of him. "Padmé did say that she has noticed the Chancellor has changed… and that he is inputting policies that could lead to a dictatorship…" He bit his lip worriedly. "I know Padmé doesn't want that to happen to the Republic that she serves."

Mace inclined his head. "In that case we would like to set up a secret meeting with her and her fellow Senators to discuss the possibility of an alliance. Moving on the Chancellor now would be catastrophic. We still need to neutralise Count Dooku and General Grievous. However we can work behind the scenes to avoid suspicion upon us."

"Dark days these are for the Jedi Order," said Yoda, "careful we must be if the Jedi Order is to survive."

Anakin nodded. "What do you want me to do?"

"Talk to your wife. We need an alliance to make this work. If Dooku and Grievous were neutralised or dead, we would move now, but as it is, we cannot take such a big gamble when the Chancellor holds the clone army in his hands. If there is an order out there to execute all of us…" Mace looked around at his fellow Jedi. "We have to be careful. If Senator Amidala is willing to reveal the contradictory orders the Chancellor has issued on Master Kenobi in the Senate, but not to reveal her sources, then it will destabilise the Chancellor. "

Anakin knew he couldn't refuse to do as the Council asked. Padmé already had doubts about the Republic's stability under the Supreme Chancellor. He didn't want to involve Padmé in Jedi affairs but she already was. "I will contact you when I have spoken to Senator Amidala."

* * *

"They want me to do what?" Padmé turned to face Anakin. They were in her offices at the Senate building, during a break between Senate sessions.

"I don't like it either…" said Anakin quietly. "I don't want you to put your life in danger."

Padmé shook her head. "I can't just sit here and let the clones carry out orders that the Chancellor has contradicted in session. It may put me in danger of his ire, Ani, but I've always lived with danger. How is this any different?"

"Because the Chancellor is a Sith," Anakin stated. "He's too dangerous for you."

"What about Count Dooku? He's a Sith."

"And you nearly died!" returned Anakin. "He sent you to be executed!"

Padmé walked up to him, laying both her hands on his chest. "Ani, I have to do this… The Chancellor needs to be challenged with facts… And if Rex is willing to testify then it builds our case. It may give us more support and his power will fail. And if it saves Obi-Wan's life, isn't it worth it?"

Anakin grimaced. "Funny… that's what Ahsoka said when she convinced me to talk to Rex and Cody about their orders." He allowed a small smile. "It's all about Obi-Wan, isn't it?"

Padmé gently leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "He's your friend. You're worried about him, I know. You will save him, I know you will."

Anakin lowered his gaze. He didn't want to believe that he could end up killing his best friend, yet the feeling was there, in the pit of his stomach, that he might have to do so. If it meant saving Padmé's life from him, would he do it? He didn't want to make that choice. And he couldn't tell Padmé that she might die by Obi-Wan's blade.

She kissed him on the cheek again and turned away, walking slowly away out of the office and back into the Senate chamber where she would provide facts, facts that might endanger her life, but Anakin could see no way in how she could not refuse the Jedi Council. Palpatine was a threat to the stability of the Republic and he needed to be stopped at all costs.

* * *

"The chair calls for Senator Amidala of Naboo!" the vice-Chancellor called forth from the centre stand.

Padmé manoeuvred her pod out into the centre of the Senate chamber. She cast her eyes around the chamber, seeking the faces of those she knew and trusted. She hadn't had the chance to tell them about the new evidence Anakin had handed to her, but she had been able to get a message to them that she would be announcing something big.

She focused on the Supreme Chancellor, looking old and weary but still full of fire and strength, determined to fight to the Republic, but Padmé knew the truth now. He wasn't after peace for a Republic. If he was the Sith Lord that the Jedi were searching for, every event had been orchestrated by him. Linking the Chancellor to those events would be difficult; thankfully the admission by Captain Rex might help them.

"Senators, I come before you today on a matter that has only just come to my attention. We are being deceived! This war has run on for too long, power corrupts and those we thought we knew are not who they appear to be. Long have I been a supporter of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. His leadership has led us into a new era of peace and prosperity _but _it has also brought us to war. A war that is continuing with every passing minute with no end in sight!" She took a deep breath. "How can we expect negotiations with the Separatists when our own Supreme Chancellor deceives us all?"

Shock rumbled throughout the hall, and Padmé risked a glance at the Chancellor. There was a look on his face that she did not like. She had always been one of his staunchest supporters but even he had become aware that she was feeling less and less sociable with him these days. The policies he was setting in place were driving more and more people away from the Republic… it was as if he wanted this conflict to continue.

Padmé cleared her throat and continued. "You may be wondering how he can be deceiving us. It is very simple. Everyone here is well aware of the situation that Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi is in. He was captured and is being deceived by Count Dooku, so much that he believes everyone who he once trusted has betrayed him. In light of this new evidence, the Chancellor announced that Master Kenobi would be captured and rehabilitated under the guidance of the Jedi Order." She swept her gaze around the auditorium and projected her voice louder. "But that is NOT what Chancellor Palpatine has done. New evidence obtained today – and the one responsible for this information is willing to come forward to testify on this matter – shows that the Chancellor has issued an _execution _order for Master Kenobi. The clone army has orders to kill him on sight, and not to detain as the Chancellor announced to us here a few weeks ago."

Padmé didn't want to look in the Chancellor's direction but to make the impact she needed, she would have to make eye-contact. She fixed her gaze upon him. His face was expressionless but she imagined he was boiling with anger inside. Her accusations could ruin whatever plans he had.

"If he has deceived us in this, what else is the Supreme Chancellor hiding from us?"

And with that, the uproar began.

* * *

Sidious had not expected that.

The Force had not warned him of Amidala's treachery. Her accusations would have severe ramifications for him… He ignored the jeering cries of his colleagues, instead turning to assess what he could salvage. Even if he lost power, he could still regain it. He would still be able to manipulate the war.

But the question was how did Amidala learn of the true order regarding Kenobi? She rarely saw clone troopers…

_Of course… _

Skywalker knew who he was. Kenobi must have told him and Skywalker had been keeping quiet about it. Ultimately Dooku's informants among the clone army would have told him of the order concerning Kenobi's fate, he must have passed that onto the Jedi, and Kenobi in turn must have informed Skywalker…

If Skywalker knew then the Jedi Council were on to him.

But they weren't acting against him… which was unexpected…

This was a matter he'd have to think about later.

Right now he had to counteract Amidala's accusations.

_When I rule this galaxy, Senator, you will be dead, and your husband will be by my side. _

Of that he was still sure of.

This situation was still salvageable… It might take a matter of time, but he would prevail.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**I always considered Rex to be more liable to rule-breaking then Cody. In ROTS Cody blindly follows Order 66 and doesn't question it... whereas Rex seems to be more his own person and might be capable of breaking the rules. Sidious is now in political trouble, he didn't consider that any of the clones would ignore an executive order. Perhaps the Jedi Council are being too cautious? As opposed to in ROTS where they just go in and try to arrest the Chancellor, in this they are more careful which may go against their characterisation BUT Dooku and Grievous are still a part of the war and a big reason why they may have acted as they did in ROTS was because those two influential figures were dead... **

**In the next chapter: **Dooku has a play with his new toy and Ahsoka finds herself in a big trouble!

**Hopefully the next update will be next week sometime but I cannot guarantee it.**

**Until then, **

**the-writer1988**


	18. Chapter 17: Risky Business

**A/N)**** So I thought I wouldn't be able to update this week… Turns out I was wrong! Originally this chapter was meant to be longer but I felt splitting it in half would be better, so the next part will be posted next week sometime. I hope you like this chapter!**

* * *

**Seventeen**

Confusion was the first thing that sprang to mind when Obi-Wan eventually regained consciousness. His head felt funny, and he was lying in a soft bed, covered in blankets. The second thing was that he couldn't remember _how _he had got back to Serenno. These were the quarters he had been given after agreeing to working with Dooku… yet the last thing he recalled was being on Naboo…

He remembered Anakin defending the Chancellor… According to Anakin, he had a misguided view of the Chancellor… Palpatine was just a pawn in the war as everyone else was… Skywalker was stupid…

And then his head started to hurt as something flashed into his head. Was it a memory? He couldn't be sure but there was something there he was missing. He rubbed his forehead with his knuckles, trying desperately to break the pain barrier but soothing his skin over the area that hurt.

"Ah, Obi-Wan, it is good to see that you are awake at last."

Obi-Wan opened his eyes and focused upon Count Dooku. "Dooku," he said wearily.

"I am glad you are recovering from your injuries," said Dooku, most kindly.

He felt confusion and he sought to remember his injuries but nothing in his memories showed that he had been injured. "What happened? I don't remember getting hurt?"

"Skywalker attacked you," said Dooku solemnly. "He scarred you. It was only when I stepped in to save your life that he backed down."

Obi-Wan's forehead crinkled. "You… you were there? I don't… don't remember…"

"Skywalker flung you so hard into the wall that it cracked your head open. You have memory loss, Obi-Wan. I was watching from afar… you did not know I was there. If I hadn't stepped in, Skywalker would have killed you." Dooku reached for a hand-held mirror that stood on the table behind him. "Do you want to see what Skywalker has done to you? He is not your friend anymore, Obi-Wan… He has joined my Master…"

Dooku handed him a mirror.

He saw a long thin healing scar cascading down the right side of his face from his eyelid. Parts of his beard had been trimmed so that he could fully see the extent of the injury. The scar ended just as it reached his jawline.

"Skywalker did that to you," pressed Dooku. "He would have killed you if I hadn't stepped in to stop him. Skywalker resents you for making his life hell during his training… He has gladly joined my Master and plots even now to destroy us both. He is acting on the instructions of the Jedi Council… Your friend is betraying everyone… including his wife… Both my Master and the Jedi Council want you dead… You are alone, Obi-Wan."

Friend. That struck a chord with him. He felt anger bubbling under the surface as he thought of the younger man. The Jedi's image flashing up in his mind's eye only made him worse. "Skywalker…" Obi-Wan began slowly, "is… not… my… FRIEND! He DID this to ME!" he spat.

The utter betrayal of their last conversation together scarred deeply. His and Anakin's friendship was dead. He was glad that he had ripped the bond to shreds, hopefully hurting Skywalker in the process.

"Is he your enemy?" asked Dooku, cautiously.

Obi-Wan looked up at him. "Yes." His eyes flashed, just for a second, to a yellow. "He betrayed me." He glanced in the mirror again, studying his reflection, his eyes focused completely on the half-healed scar. "He did this to me… I thought he was my friend… Everyone betrays me…"

"You can trust no one," continued Dooku, "apart from me. I have saved you, Obi-Wan, from the fate that will come to all Jedi. Your former friend will have to die by _your _hand. If you do not, the Republic and everyone we are trying to save will die."

Obi-Wan took a deep breath. He numbly touched the scar on his face, feeling the edges. How could Anakin do this to him? He had joined with Dooku to save the Republic. But no one could understand that, no one could see that the true evil was right at the heart of the Republic.

"I am tired of hiding," said Obi-Wan slowly and carefully. He pushed the covers off and twisted out of bed so that he was sitting on the edge. The Count stood from the chair he was sitting. "I wanted to save Anakin by joining you… But he has proved once again all he does is betray those he claims to love."

"And he has joined the Sith, joined Palpatine," Dooku reiterated. "The Jedi Council refuses to see it too. Skywalker is far too dangerous to keep alive…" urged Dooku, "and I think you know that… If we are to succeed in saving the Republic, Obi-Wan, the _Chosen One _must die."

* * *

It had been a risk to try to turn Kenobi against Skywalker so soon, but Count Dooku had ensured that Kenobi was so pumped full of the drug that a slight hint would set him off, and it had. Dooku was quite proud of his achievement. Kenobi was his, _finally_. If Skywalker hadn't interfered by coming clean to his Master, then Kenobi would have fallen on his own accord. He had already been halfway there.

As soon as Kenobi had learnt that Skywalker was playing the Sith Master that letter had been his saving grace. His head had been cleared of all the deception Dooku had mustered his way. And Dooku hadn't been prepared to let that all go to waste. Corrupting the Jedi Master had possibly been his most audacious success yet: the fact that Kenobi had fallen as far as he had was a testing point for Dooku's decision to drug him. Without that drug, the Count realised that Kenobi would never have allowed himself to fall so far.

Mere pain and torture could never have turned this man, only made him a stronger Jedi.

But now… now Kenobi was his. His aura was still grey; a lingering darkness was there, just waiting to be unleashed. The pure light that had once been the Jedi Master was gone. Kenobi would always be tainted by the dark side.

Dooku's words about Skywalker having to die had been risky, but the fact that Kenobi could not even remember the letter and that he believed his former apprentice had scarred him for life, was the factor in his new apprentice's decision to vow to kill Skywalker in return for the hurt and anger he had caused.

If Obi-Wan ever learned the truth after he had succeeded in killing Skywalker, his despair and guilt would drive him further on the path of darkness. He would never return to the side of light.

The anger had grown in Kenobi ever since the revelations and he had been training constantly against training droids to up his skills. Dooku was now feeling very certain that Kenobi was finally his. He would need to test out Kenobi's loyalty to him by sending him out into the conflict that raged throughout the galaxy. He had a specific idea of where Kenobi would go first…

It would certainly shock the Republic to learn that one of their greatest and tactically brilliant Generals was leading the Separatist droid army.

* * *

_Obi-Wan… _

The voice was trying to reach out for him.

_Remember… _

"I told you to leave me alone!"

The voice fell silent.

* * *

**Three days after Padmé Amidala's speech**

The uproar that had begun with Padmé's speech was still on-going. The Chancellor was clinging onto power however an investigation into affairs had begun, though the Jedi believed that nothing incriminating would be dug up. The Sith Lord was not stupid, he would have destroyed any evidence linking him to any events that would have jeopardised his position, but it would keep him occupied while the Jedi Order sought to gather their resources.

In light of the order on Obi-Wan coming to light, the Jedi Council had decided to send their younglings to another planet, as a measure of protection. The Order's future needed to be secured and remaining in one place while a Sith Lord was controlling the Senate was not the key to survival. The next important point for the Council was securing the capture or elimination of both Dooku and Grievous, however Dooku was holed up on Serenno, and Grievous was making war in the Outer Rim.

The key point now in any Council meeting always regarded their lost Jedi Master. Troubling information had reached them of an impending attack on Bothawui by the Separatists, however it was the news that Obi-Wan Kenobi was leading the attack that troubled them most of all.

Anakin was convinced that Dooku had done something to Obi-Wan since he had sent that letter. There was no way Obi-Wan would even attack the Republic army if he was still in his right mind. This meant he would be exposed to the clone troopers that had been ordered to end his life, though since the order had been discovered, the Chancellor's moves were watched twenty-four/seven and several Republic officials had been there when the Chancellor had reissued the order for capture.

And so it was with Master Yoda and Ahsoka at his side, that Anakin Skywalker took a small fleet to protect Bothawui, in hope of capturing his former Master.

* * *

"What's the plan of attack, Master?" asked Ahsoka, strolling into the command centre, where Anakin and Yoda stood waiting for her.

"There isn't one," replied Anakin. "We need Obi-Wan to come to us. And he will. Master Yoda believes that Obi-Wan will come for me… We mean to detain him. Both Master Yoda and I will engage him. You, my Padawan, will be leading a squadron out into battle and you are instructed to disable all Separatist ships. This mission is to protect Bothawui, but we can also capture Obi-Wan if we prevent his means of escape."

Ahsoka bit her lip. "Do you really think Master Kenobi will come to kill you?"

Anakin traded a look with the diminutive Master. "We think it is a possibility. Something has happened since Naboo, and we need to get to the bottom of it before anyone is killed over a misunderstanding. Dooku has manipulated him enough that simple half-truths will be seen as the truth. I want my best friend back, Ahsoka, and if I have to fight him to do it, I will." He breathed out slowly. "I don't want you anywhere near him… He's too dangerous for you and if he means to kill me, then killing you is a way to get back at me."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes, folding her arms across her chest. "And putting me out in a space battle is meant to keep me safe?"

Shrugging, Anakin grinned. "It's meant to stop me worrying about you."

* * *

"Sir! Separatist forces coming out of hyperspace!" Rex shouted.

Anakin dashed forwards, looking out from the bridge to see six Separatist Dreadnaught Cruisers and two Trade Federation starships leap into the system. Eight ships against four Republic Cruisers. This would be easy. Anakin had won bigger battles then this with just a small fleet. "All right everyone, target their engines." He tapped into his comlink. "Ahsoka, launch all fighters! Focus your targets on the two Trade Federation starships."

"Yes, Master," she acknowledged.

"Know what ship Master Kenobi is on, do you?" Yoda asked, walking up slowly behind him.

Anakin nodded. "There's a grey, darkness feeling on one of the dreadnaughts. Obi-Wan is on…" He closed his eyes, concentrating, seeking out the presence. The tendrils in his head did not respond to his probing, but he could sense the anger pouring forth from that particular presence. "He's on the dreadnaught at the back of the fleet…"

"Careful we must be," said Yoda.

Anakin swallowed. He had a horrible feeling in his stomach that everything that could possibly go wrong was going to go wrong.

* * *

Standing on the bridge of the Separatist Dreadnaught, Obi-Wan Kenobi watched the battle. He wore dark robes, and his hair was slicked back, his beard was now just stubble, and his eyes alternated between blue-grey and the yellow of a Sith Lord. There was a battle raging inside his mind. The voice of Qui-Gon Jinn continued to plague him. No matter what he said the voice still came back. But now it was silent – one of the few moments where he had control of his own person, own mind.

So why did he still feel conflicted?

His task was to kill Anakin Skywalker. And he wanted to. Oh he did. Whenever he saw his reflection he was reminded of the utter betrayal of the boy he had trained to adulthood… How he could do such a thing, to permanently scar another man… He felt anger bubbling up inside him and he clenched his fists.

_This is wrong my former Padawan, and you know it… _

Obi-Wan ignored the voice. He would not let a spirit steer him in the wrong direction. Dooku was his friend, Dooku had saved him… hadn't he?

Once again confusion swept through him. What was wrong with him? Why was he suffering like this?

_A part of you knows that something is not right about this… I am guarding something of yours… You just need to fight it… Look deep within yourself… _

"No!" Obi-Wan snarled. He slammed the door shut in his mind. "I won't listen to you, _traitor_!"

It was a good thing that his crew consisted of battle droids – talking to himself was one of the signs of insanity - though they were completely incompetent in what they did, they were prone to picking up their commanders talking to themselves.

His eyes followed the battle, keeping his own dreadnaught away from the majority of the battle. They were evenly matched – Skywalker seemed to know exactly what to do to maintain a defence.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and entered the Force, searching for the right path. It was here that the voice of Qui-Gon Jinn became more insistent.

_I know what you are planning to do. I know the real you wouldn't want to kill Anakin… _

"I am the real me!" he threw back.

_You forget I know _you. _You are unsure of Dooku… _

That was true. Something didn't feel right there but he could not place it. The only thing he was sure of was that Skywalker had betrayed him.

_He did betray you, but he never gave you that scar. _

"How would you know that? You're dead."

_If I'm dead, how am I talking to you? _

Obi-Wan didn't have an answer for that and it was a good question. Instead he felt out into the Force, locating the bright Force presence's that belonged to three Jedi. He knew who they were of course. What didn't surprise him was that Skywalker had fallen into his trap. The Force presence he focused on was still maturing, still growing into her abilities and Skywalker had let her play outside… A grin pulled at his lips as he opened his eyes and turned to his commander.

"Commander, disable the Jedi starfighter that is leading the enemy against our ships. And ready the tractor beam, I want that ship on board."

The droid commander acknowledged.

Secure in his belief that he would get what he wanted, Obi-Wan took a slow walk down to the hanger, where he hoped that his guest would soon be waiting for him.

* * *

Piloting her craft nimbly through the crisscrossing lasers between the Republic and Separatist forces, Ahsoka had learnt a few tricks thanks to her Master's guidance. Twisting through the barrage she pulled up on her stick as the guns to the dreadnaught that she was cruising past twisted their guns and focused completely on her.

Unprepared for the attack her left wing and engine took a few hits, and she pointed her stick down to avoid the continuing barrage.

"Commander! To your left!" a clone trooper addressed her over the com.

Ahsoka pulled to the left as a few droid fighters overshot her. The guns on the dreadnaught continued to focus upon her as she tried to avoid the fire directed her way. Why were they focusing completely on her and not on any of the other attackers? "Master!"

"_Ahsoka, what's going on out there?_" Anakin's voice came over the com channel.

"They're targeting me and no one else!" She glanced at her readouts and noticed that she leaking fuel from her left engine. "I've got a fuel leakage..."

She tugged her stick to the right and pulled, as another droid fighter harried her from behind, but that was a mistake. She flew right into another barrage of lasers, both her engines getting friend. She was too close to the Separatist ships… "Argh! I've lost both engines!"

"_Ahsoka, get out of there, now!" _yelled Anakin.

She struggled to maintain any control over the direction of the craft but found that her steering was gone… or rather that the craft did not respond. She checked her sensors and found to her horror that a tractor beam had a hold of her craft. "I can't! I'm sorry, Master, I can't turn back! Tractor beam." She saw only one option of survival. Clearly they wanted to capture her, and she could guess why. "I've got to let them take me… but I'll wait for you…"

"_Ahsoka!_"

She switched off the comm. One thing she could do as her ship was pulled into the hanger of the Separatist command ship was fight. She may be a Padawan, but she wasn't just anyone's Padawan… she was the learner of Anakin Skywalker, though she had a terrible feeling that she would have to fight a friend, if she was to try to break free from this trap.

**To be continued…**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Dooku's little scheme has worked and Obi-Wan is his. Of course there are little hints in this chapter that point to Obi-Wan still being unsure, but Dooku can control him through means of the drug. **

**Anakin tried to save Ahsoka, only to land her right in Obi-Wan's hands. **

**Originally this chapter was meant to include what is in the next chapter, but I felt the next part would stand better on its own as a separate chapter! **

**Next chapter: **Anakin rushes to save Ahsoka.

**I hope to post this chapter next week! **

**Until then,**

**the-writer1988 **


	19. Chapter 18: Confrontation of Brothers

**A/N)**** Thank you for all the reviews! This chapter I'm quite nervous about... Partly because of what it covers and what happens in it. I feel so much more could be done with it but we will see whether it works or not. **

* * *

**Eighteen**

Anakin felt numb.

He had put his apprentice out into battle because he had thought he could save her that way but he hadn't. Instead she had been captured by the one person he hadn't wanted to get his hands on her. His knuckles were clenched as he felt out in the Force for Ahsoka's bright presence, sensing her fear and determination.

"Master, did you know?" he turned to face Yoda. He had to learn if he had made a mistake.

"Always a possibility it was that young Padawan Tano would be the target of this mission. Lure you to him does Obi-Wan mean to. Never was his intention to come to you."

Anakin sighed, frustration welling up inside him. "Why didn't you tell me? I would never have sent her out there if Ahsoka was the possible target!" He was almost shouting at the diminutive Master.

"Your mistake it was to make," replied Yoda. "You did not realise that Master Obi-Wan knows you too well."

"He knows I'll come to rescue her. This was Obi-Wan's plan all along, wasn't it? He never intended on attacking the planet directly, instead it was me." He groaned, placing his head in his hands. "He knew I'd come here… I thought he would attack us, try to board us… But he didn't, because he knows we want to capture him, so he's making that more difficult by forcing us to come to him!" The realisations were coming thick and fast.

Yoda didn't answer but Anakin could sense the truth in his silence.

"I have to go to her. If there is any chance of saving her…" he began to pace away from the bridge's window.

"To fall into the trap he has set, if go you will," pointed out Yoda.

Anakin swallowed. "I know… but if it saves Ahsoka, I have to." A sudden thought struck him. "Perhaps this could work to our advantage…" He tapped away at the controls to the battle map, bringing up a schematic of Obi-Wan's Separatist cruiser. "Ahsoka's ship has been dragged into Hanger B. If I leave now, I can reach her before he even moves her from there. But there are another two hangers on board… We could take the cruiser if I keep Obi-Wan busy… and we might be able to capture him."

"A landing attempt you suggest?"

"Yes, I do. Obi-Wan wants me and he's going to get it, but he's going to make a mistake because he will focus on me. We have enough troops to take his ship."

"Hmmm… this plan could fail if realise he does what you are up to."

"I know," sighed Anakin. "But if we can get the drop on him, maybe we can bring him back." And he meant that in soul and in person.

* * *

Lightsabers clutched in both her hands, Ahsoka leapt out of her docked fighter, flipping in the air and landing on her feet in the docking bay. She swung both her blades in an arc, beheading the few battle droids that had started to surround her. Their bodies clattered to the floor. She twisted to avoid a gun blast levelled at her chest, and leapt high up to avoid the following three shots.

"Do not harm her! I want her alive!" Obi-Wan Kenobi's voice rung out.

Ahsoka turned to face him as he approached. Shock registered across her face. He looked so different from the composed Jedi Master that she knew him as. His clothes were dark and his hair was slicked back. He looked quite sophisticated and would have done if his look didn't remind her of Count Dooku. She shuddered. One of the most respected Jedi Master's had been corrupted by Dooku. She could sense the darkness oozing off of him.

Obi-Wan stopped, and then looked straight at her. "I am prepared to fight you if you force me to."

Ahsoka swallowed. She knew she was no match for a Jedi Master. "Whatever you are planning, Master Skywalker will not fall into your trap!"

Obi-Wan smirked. "I think he will, because he is already coming."

"What?" Ahsoka suddenly became aware of Anakin's presence coming closer to her position.

"I had hoped that when he arrived you would be a prisoner, but you are not inclined to doing that, are you?" stated Obi-Wan, quite mildly.

Ahsoka gripped the handles of her lightsabers. "I don't think so." She bent her knees, getting into a stance, aware that she was surrounded by battle droids and a Jedi Master who felt very dangerous in the Force…

"I thought not." Obi-Wan hadn't even drawn his lightsaber. "I don't need to fight you if I do not wish to."

Ahsoka bit her lip watching wearily. Something was very wrong with the way he was talking to her.

"All I need to do is THIS!" Obi-Wan's hand came out, and a powerful Force shove sent her spiralling backwards.

Unprepared for it, Ahsoka's back slammed onto the floor, and as she tried to get back to her feet, she found she was unable to move. Obi-Wan was Force-pressing her to the floor, keeping her pinned. She tried to muster her own push back at him, but despite her age and advanced abilities, she was unable to fight back effectively.

Ahsoka glared at him. "Do you really think this will stop me?" She was still trying to break free.

"No," said Obi-Wan casually, "but this will."

His hand clenched into a fist and she felt the air leave her lungs as she struggled to get breath. She couldn't breathe… she couldn't gulp down precious air. The crushing feeling on her chest disappeared, but she couldn't stop the Force choke. Her hands went to her throat, scrabbling at the skin, trying to find a way to relieve the pressure. Her eyes were wide… She could feel darkness threatening at the edge of her vision.

Her eyes focused upon the figure of the former Jedi Master. There was a nasty grin on his face, and yellow was seeping into his eyes.

Just as she was about to pass out from a lack of oxygen, part of the shields to the hanger bay were opened and a Republic shuttle flew in, landing quickly on its struts. Ahsoka breathed in deeply, gulping down the air she so preciously needed, as the pressure was released from her throat. She sat up spluttering.

"AHSOKA!"

Turning her head, she saw Anakin running towards her, lightsaber in hand.

But Obi-Wan stepped in front of her, his lightsaber clutched tightly in his hand, pointing directly at her face. "Stop right there, Skywalker. One more step and I'll kill her."

Ahsoka swallowed, watching as her Master slid to a stop.

"Please don't hurt her."

She eyed her two lightsabers near to her, just slightly out of her reach. Very slowly she began to move back, stretching out her arm to reach the two hilts. Obi-Wan's attention was focused solely on Anakin.

"Obi-Wan… what happened to you? Who gave you that scar?" asked Anakin slowly.

Obi-Wan's head cocked to the side. "_You _happened!" His lightsaber ignited, and he leapt forward, but Anakin dodged, blocking the thrust.

"Hey!" Anakin cried, surprised at the ferociousness of the attack. "Obi-Wan!"

Their lightsabers clashed and locked together.

"Are you telling me that you cannot remember what _you _did to me despite seeing it with your own eyes?" accused Obi-Wan.

Ahsoka's eyes widened. Her lightsabers now back in her palms, and her breath back she leapt forward, beheading the few battle droids that still surrounded her position. She saw Anakin's face turn to shock as he heard the accusation.

"Obi-Wan, I didn't do that!" said Anakin. "If this is what this is about, I swear to you, Dooku has tricked you!"

"You say that now, Skywalker, but I know you are lying!" hissed Obi-Wan.

Anakin sighed, pulling away from the lightsaber lock and looking sadly at his best friend. "What can I do to prove to you that I'm not lying? I did not give you that scar."

Obi-Wan's eyes crinkled forwards. "You betrayed me. You've sided with the Sith!" He wasn't even prepared to listen to reason, not even willing to give Anakin the chance to prove that he had not hurt him.

"Not as much as you have done," retorted Anakin.

Ahsoka inwardly groaned. That was not the right thing her Master should have said. Anakin had never joined the Sith, he had defended one because he had to, not because he was a willing participant in his plans! Master Kenobi was still under the influence of something. His thought processes were all wrong.

"I'm trying to bring the Sith down!" yelled Obi-Wan. "I'm trying to save the Republic!"

Anakin shook his head. "You are turning into one of them. Dooku has coveted you for ages. He has always wanted you as his apprentice! He ordered your capture! Don't you remember that? I know who his Sith Master is. There is a reason why we can't act against him yet… He controls the Republic and while two dangerous criminals are on the loose, we cannot afford to expose him!"

"LIAR!" Obi-Wan thrust forward again, his blade connecting to Anakin's. Anger was in his eyes. He was not willing to think things through. "YOU BETRAYED ME!"

Anakin battled the blade away. "I didn't trust you with my secrets and that was a mistake! If I had known that they might be the cause of you falling I would have told you! I don't want to fight you, Obi-Wan. I came here to save you. Whatever Dooku has made you believe, it's not true!"

Ahsoka edged forward slightly… perhaps she could get the drop on Obi-Wan…

Spit flew from Obi-Wan's mouth. "You would have trusted me with your secrets if it meant I wouldn't join Dooku?"

Anakin looked sadly at his friend. "You're not listening are you? I made a mistake in not trusting you with those two secrets! I should have done! I wouldn't have shared them with you to stop you falling… I would have done it because I know you would never betray me!"

"But you would betray me." Obi-Wan pressed forward, launching another attack, bringing his blade up and forcing Anakin to block awkwardly. He kicked out, aiming for Anakin's knee, his boot connecting with the younger Jedi's kneecap.

Anakin's knee buckled, and his blade slipped from his guard positioning. Obi-Wan's blade came down but Ahsoka was there, her green lightsaber and shoto blocking the killing blow. She stared defiantly up at him.

"Master Kenobi," she risked saying, "there's conflict within you, isn't there?" She could see his eyes now, constantly flickering between blue grey and yellow, as if there was an inner battle inside, warring for his very soul. "There's a battle for your very soul…" she trailed off, hardly daring to believe that she had said that to him.

Anakin got to his feet, his lightsaber switched off, wiping his hair out of his eyes. "I know you got my message, Obi-Wan. You lightened in the Force… and then you became dark. What happened to you?"

"What message?" retorted Obi-Wan, not moving from the lightsaber lock he had with Ahsoka.

Ahsoka gritted her teeth, intent on not letting him press forward, yet Obi-Wan seemed to not want to push forward an attack. He was letting an explanation occur. There was still a part of the reasonable Master Kenobi in there. His eyes were not so yellow anymore…

"I sent you a message. I told you that I knew who Palpatine really was. I did that after you broke our bond because I didn't want you believing a lie! And you sent me a message back! I never harmed you and I never gave you that scar," said Anakin beseechingly.

"If that was true, I would remember it!" shouted Obi-Wan.

But Ahsoka saw that there wasn't complete conviction to his statement. His eyes… "You say that, Master Kenobi, but do you really believe that?"

Anakin stepped forward, deactivating his lightsaber blade. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"What has that got to do with anything?" retorted Obi-Wan angrily.

"Everything," replied Anakin. "Ahsoka, come here."

She glanced over her shoulder, an expression of incredulity across her features. Obi-Wan wasn't attacking because they were in a blade lock but if she stepped away, he'd attack, but she doubted she would have held against him this long if he truly wanted to continue fighting Anakin. She swallowed and bravely, she moved back fast, pulling away from the saber lock and moved back to Anakin's position.

Obi-Wan didn't move forward, but his blade remained on, tipped towards them. Wariness was in his eyes and confusion too. "I remember talking to Sidious and you," he slowly answered. "I remember you Force-pushing me into the wall and holding me there. Then you came at me with your blade and… and I don't remember."

"The first and second part is true," said Anakin, "I did Force-push you into the wall and hold you there, but I never attacked you after that. I took your lightsaber and then returned it. If you truly had memory loss, wouldn't you forget from the moment I pushed you against the wall and _not after it_?"

Ahsoka was amazed. Her Master had pinpointed a specific point where Master Kenobi shouldn't have any memories from! If he had a head injury then he wouldn't even recall someone attacking him. Was it possible to fabricate a memory? She would have to ask later, to be sure, but she didn't want to interfere, just in case they could bring Obi-Wan back to them now. His eyes were blue-grey again, they were getting through to him.

"I… I… don't know," admitted Obi-Wan. "Why would Dooku lie to me?"

"Because Dooku wants you as his apprentice! He's found a way to manipulate you. You're drugged, Obi-Wan! A drug that is making you very susceptible to the dark side! If you find out how Dooku is giving it to you and stop his source of supply, then you will have a clearer head!" continued Anakin, stepping forward once more.

Obi-Wan's blade came up, levelled directly at Anakin's throat. With one thrust he could end his life, but he didn't.

Ahsoka watched with baited breath, hardly daring to breathe. Her Master was taking an awful risk.

Anakin raised his hands; his lightsaber hilt was now clipped to his belt. He didn't dare say a word. With a lightsaber at his throat, saying anything to provoke Obi-Wan would lead to disaster.

"When I woke… I thought something was wrong, my head felt funny…" He shook his head. "Why am I telling you this? You betrayed me! You scarred me! You could have blinded me!" His voice had risen again and his eyes flashed yellow for a split second.

"I think you are telling Master Skywalker because you trust him," said Ahsoka quietly and reasonably.

Anakin quickly caught on what his young apprentice had figured out. "Something inside you knows what you are doing is wrong. Please don't let Dooku manipulate you. You're a great Jedi, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan stepped back. His left hand went to his forehead. "My head… It hurts, why does it hurt?"

Hope sprung in Ahsoka's chest. Was something breaking through? But as she watched the conflict in Obi-Wan's face and eyes, she saw a squadron of clone troopers and Master Yoda sneak up behind him.

* * *

_I told you that this was wrong… _

The voice was constantly running through his head, talking to him, urging him to think things through and to not let anger get the better of him. He shook his head, trying to figure out why he couldn't make the kill. Something was stopping him. What was it?

_Love. You love Anakin like a brother. Dooku hasn't completely destroyed you. Let yourself be free! _

He had the feeling that he could always trust in Anakin Skywalker. His feelings told him that Anakin had never harmed him; that he spoke the truth and it was Dooku who was manipulating him into being like this. Yet it was his head that was screaming at him to kill the boy, to take his revenge upon the man who had caused him so much suffering. He had lost memories because of him, hadn't he?

_They are still there… You just need to look deep enough. _

Conflicted and confused, Obi-Wan's head began to thump horribly, banging against his skull, seeking release. His vision blurred and he stepped back, his head now in his hand. What was happening to him? Why was this so difficult?

_Anakin loves you like a brother too. He has never wanted to harm you. He will help you… if you let him. _

Obi-Wan opened his eyes, focusing upon the two Jedi in front of him. His fingers were clenched tightly around his lightsaber.

"Anakin?" he began and his former apprentice started to smile, but then his face turned to horror, and Obi-Wan's danger senses flared.

He twisted round and deflected a stun blast that had been aimed at him. Twelve clone troopers and Master Yoda stood behind him, neatly cutting off his escape. "This was a trick!" he snapped. He whirled back to Anakin, his eyes flashing dangerously. "You said all of that to make me confused!" He cast his eyes around the hanger. All the Separatist droids lay scattered in pieces on the floor, and the only ship that he had a chance of getting to was the red and white Republic shuttle that Anakin had arrived in.

Anakin shook his head desperately to deny the accusations but Obi-Wan was having none of it. He was sick of being betrayed, corrupted and influenced by other people. Ignoring the voice of Qui-Gon in his head and the warning in his heart, he chose to believe Dooku. Skywalker was here to kill him. This was evident by the clones attack on him. Cowards. Hadn't dared to face him.

It didn't even occur to Obi-Wan that they had set for stun.

"Obi-Wan, no!" yelled Skywalker.

But Obi-Wan leapt back, battling away stun blasts aimed at him, and landed on the soles of his feet. His gaze burned at his adversaries as the clone troopers twisted to face him, Skywalker and Tano rushing forwards to join their ranks.

"Here to help you we are, Obi-Wan," said Yoda. He leaned forward on his cane.

"Liar," he hissed. "Attacking me from behind? If you really didn't mean any harm you wouldn't have done that!" He raised his lightsaber. "I won't let you take me!"

The elder Jedi gazed sadly at Obi-Wan. "A choice in that you do not have!"

"No!" Skywalker stepped forward. "Master Yoda, he needs to have that choice!"

_If Anakin wanted to kill you, would he ask that of Master Yoda, Obi-Wan? _

"SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!" he roared out-loud, and he lunged forward, his anger fuelled by his misguided and twisted notions that he thought to be fact.

Skywalker was there, his lightsaber out and they locked blades. "Obi-Wan, please! I don't want to hurt you! We've got this ship under our control! Let me help you!"

"No!" Obi-Wan leaned forward on the blade. It did not occur to him that the clones were not attacking him, despite one of their Generals putting his life at risk by fighting him.

Moving back quickly, Skywalker broke the lock.

"Coward," grated Obi-Wan cruelly, an almost terrifying smile coming to his lips. He could feel power pulsing through his veins.

Shaking his head, Skywalker spoke softly. "This is for your own good, Obi-Wan."

The warning in the Force came far too late. Obi-Wan found himself Force-pushed back across the hanger, crashing hard into the floor, his right hand dropping his lightsaber hilt. Three Jedi slowly walked towards to him. It seemed that karma was happening today. The same technique he had used on Ahsoka Tano was being used against him. He tried to struggle, tried to find a way to break their Force-grip on him, but he couldn't.

"Let me GO!" he yelled, pouring forth all his anger into the demand.

Skywalker moved closer to him and knelt down beside him. "I'm going to bring you back. I will save you."

Obi-Wan glared. "I hate you."

A sad smile pulled at Anakin Skywalker's lips. "No, you don't. That's the drug that Dooku is using on you to make you think that. It's been manipulating your thoughts all this time…"

"How would you know that?" Obi-Wan sneered in return, still trying to escape the Force-grip.

"I'll prove it," replied Anakin. The younger Jedi moved away from him. "I'm sorry I have to do this." He turned away.

"Coward. Can't face me when I'm about to be shot!" Obi-Wan baited.

Skywalker glanced back over his shoulder. "They're not going to kill you, Obi-Wan. We've forced Chancellor Palpatine to change the order to stun and capture only. It's the only way he can stay in power if he accedes to the Senate's wishes… especially after I led the investigation into the Order. He can't risk turning on the Jedi Order until his power-base is secured… Right now, it's not."

As Skywalker spoke, the dark cloud that had consumed his mind so very quickly began to turn grey. "What? You changed the order? Why?"

"Because I want to save you," replied Anakin.

Before Obi-Wan could muster a response, a clone trooper raised his blaster at him and fired.

Obi-Wan's world went black.

* * *

"Is the ship secure?" asked Anakin, his eyes never leaving the prone body of his Master. Four clone troopers were busily wrapping heavy chains around his body, ensuring that if he woke up before arrival at their destination, he wouldn't be able to escape.

Captain Rex nodded. "Yes, sir. The bridge is ours. The remaining Separatist ships have fled the system."

"Good," sighed Anakin. "Master Yoda, do you think we can bring Obi-Wan back?"

Yoda leaned heavily on his stick. "Difficult to say it is. Conflict there is within him but great anger too. Get him to the Temple we must. Assessed by the healers he will be. If he remains drugged as we suspect he is, save him we may be able to. But more dangerous he is with chemicals influencing his actions."

"We can't treat him like a prisoner," said Anakin. "He needs to know we don't mean to harm him. Who knows what Dooku has told him. Obi-Wan… Obi-Wan thinks I gave him that scar. He thinks that I tried to kill him on Naboo, and that I've joined the Sith. I know he got my message."

"Discovered by Dooku it was. Enough it would have been to save him," mentioned Yoda. "To keep him as his apprentice, Count Dooku acted to turn him. Suspect that memories are being supressed I do."

Swallowing, Anakin watched as Obi-Wan's body was moved onto a stretcher. "I'm not giving up on him. I don't think he would have killed Ahsoka if I hadn't of come. He wasn't close to that mark."

"But, Master, he would have killed you!" exclaimed Ahsoka, rubbing her wrists.

Anakin shrugged. "If he was a true Sith he would have killed you regardless. He would have done that to make me suffer but he didn't."

"He did try to strangle me," she pointed out mildly.

Anakin bit his bottom lip. "He wouldn't have ended your life. You saw the conflict in his eyes as much as I did. Whatever conscience he still has would have stopped him."

"Agree with Anakin I do. Darkness there may be in Master Kenobi, but possible it is to save him it still is," said Yoda, exchanging a look at Anakin. "I sense an abnormality around him… As if something is there that should not be. Meditate on this I will." The older Jedi slowly began to pace away leaving Anakin alone with Ahsoka.

Ahsoka gave him a smile. "I never said thank you for coming after me."

Anakin allowed himself a small grin. "I wouldn't have left you to him."

She bowed her head, tears nearly threatening to overwhelm her. "I was scared, Master, when Master Kenobi was strangling me… I thought he was really going to kill me."

"It's understandable," he answered slowly. "You didn't expect that to happen. If we get the real Obi-Wan back then he will never be able to forgive himself." He took in a deep breath, his gaze searching the hanger around him. Apart from his Republic shuttle and Ahsoka's downed fighter, it was empty. "I just hope it's not too late to save him."

Slowly, Master and Padawan turned away from looking out through the hanger doors into space.

"We'll get him back, Skyguy," said Ahsoka, ribbing Anakin gently.

Anakin glanced at her, a twinkle in his eyes as he responded. "Hopefully you will be proven right, Snips."

**To be continued... **

**Erm... please let me know what you think! **

**So... Obi-Wan has been captured by the Jedi which just *might* cause problems for Dooku. Obi-Wan is very conflicted because he doesn't know what to believe. **

**If you are wondering how Yoda got on board Obi-Wan's ship, they used another entrance. **

**Next chapter: **Obi-Wan wakes up and the Council debate what they should do with their dark Councilman.

**I hope to post again next week! **

**Until next time, **

**the-writer1988**


	20. Chapter 19: Memories Remembered

**A/N)**** Thank you for the comments to the last chapter! I'm glad it worked for all of you! This chapter is hopefully building up to some sort of vague conclusion that I have mapped out. This story keeps changing as I continue to write.**

* * *

**Nineteen**

The news that Kenobi had been captured had surprised him. Dooku had not been expecting that piece of news. Kenobi was skilled enough to not let himself fall into a trap… but the Jedi had clearly managed to outwit him. This concerned him. If Kenobi was washed free from the drug then the chances of the Jedi Master making a complete recovery was very possible. And Dooku would be on his own.

Not only would he have to deal with his former Master, but he would also have to deal with Kenobi, and when he was calm and centred in the Force, he could be a very dangerous man.

_Though the Jedi are not aware of what I've done to his mind… Perhaps my deception will remain undiscovered… _

He was certain he had built up enough barriers inside Kenobi's mind so that it wouldn't be detected yet if his mind was rubbed by any member of the Council, they had the potential to break down that barrier and free Kenobi's memories…

Dooku stood by the window, looking out at Serenno's setting sun.

Certainly he had a set-back.

_This could be rectified…_

* * *

"Ani? What are you doing here?" Padmé Amidala sat up from her couch. She had been reading reports on the holo-net when her husband's speeder had landed beside her balcony. She gave him a smile as they embraced.

"Oh Padmé," he whispered into her hair, gently stroking her head. His body was shaking. Something was wrong.

She gripped his arms and leant back, looking up at him. "Ani, what's wrong?"

Anakin sighed, breathing out deeply. "We've captured Obi-Wan."

"What?" Padmé gasped. "How?"

"We heard that he was leading a Separatist attack on Bothawui," he explained. "We launched a defence but he was there to lure me, not to take the planet. Obi-Wan captured Ahsoka. Then we took his ship and him."

"Oh Ani… Is he okay?" she asked, worry evident in her voice.

Anakin shook his head. "I don't know… He's sedated at the moment while the healers work on purging his system from a drug that Dooku has been giving him. He's partially turned to the dark side, Padmé, but I have some hope that he can be brought back." He almost turned away from her, his body shaking. "He thinks I scarred him. I never touched him when I last saw him. Dooku must have done something to him, something that has caused Obi-Wan to forget that I was not siding with a Sith Lord."

"The Count has always been after Obi-Wan, hasn't he?" Padmé said gently.

Anakin nodded. "He tried to turn him on Geonosis but failed… This time, this time he had an edge and succeeded. If I had never kept our marriage secret from him… If I had told him about the Tusken Raiders, he wouldn't be feeling so betrayed… It's my fault! Everything is my fault!" Tears were threatening at the edge of his eyes. "I feel like I'm a burden to him! Obi-Wan never wanted me as his apprentice but did he ever complain? No!"

Anakin began to pace around the room, wiping his sleeve across his face as he tried to stop the tears from falling. His emotions were falling free. Everything that had built up since Obi-Wan's capture were coming out. "I've been so stupid! How could I not see that the Sith the Jedi were looking for was the Chancellor? How could I ignore the signs? That was just another thing Dooku could use to turn Obi-Wan! All this time I've been trusting the wrong person… Everything I've done is known by my worst enemy… Padmé, why didn't I see?"

Padmé took Anakin by the hands and led him to the sofa. "Ani… You came here as a nine year old boy, separated from your mother whom you loved so very much. You were thrust into a world that was difficult for you to adjust in. Obi-Wan had lost a mentor and father-figure; he never had much time to grieve… And he was thrust into that position himself. And then there was the Chancellor, newly elected and popular. And he became someone who you could talk to. He took advantage of you. You were too young to recognise the signs. It's not your fault that you trusted Palpatine more than Obi-Wan. Do you remember what you told me soon after we met again?"

"What did I say?"

"The gist of it was that Obi-Wan was always criticising you and you didn't like it. The Chancellor gave you the praise you needed but Master Kenobi gave you what you needed to hear because he wanted you to succeed," she said quietly.

Anakin sighed. "I haven't succeed though, have I?"

"Ani?" Padmé's voice was questionable.

"I married you, didn't I? I broke the code. I don't know what the Council will do when this war is over with me. I could be expelled for my indiscretions. I fed off the praise that the Chancellor gave me… and now my best friend wants to kill me. All because of Dooku." His hands closed into fists and he felt anger pulsing through him. He had to control it, he couldn't let the dark side rule him.

Padmé gently smiled at him. "I know you are going to bring him back. If anyone can do it, you can."

Anakin stood from the sofa, his hands behind his back. He needed to change the subject. "How is the investigation into the Chancellor going?"

"You won't like the results," said Padmé quietly.

Anakin glanced over his shoulder. "So the Senate won't be able to vote for no confidence in his leadership?"

Padmé shook her head. "No. The investigation is nearly complete. The Chancellor has hidden any secrets rather well or he's destroyed any evidence linking him to any miss-doing."

"And the execution order on Obi-Wan?" touted Anakin. "How is that being explained away?"

"A miscommunication," answered Padmé. "Anyone the investigators have interviewed have said the order was wrongly put out by the Chancellor's secretary who has been sacked from her job. I believe the Chancellor is setting her up to take the fall he needs to take."

Anakin snorted. "Of course he is! He wants to stay in power!"

"The Senate can't do anything about him… And if the Jedi act…" Padmé trailed off, afraid to continue.

"He could kill us all," finished Anakin morbidly. He bowed his head. "I don't like this at all, Padmé, not at all."

He pulled his wife into a hug, holding her tightly against his body.

"I don't like it either," she whispered into his chest.

* * *

His vision was fuzzy as he came to, waking from a strange dream about facing Skywalker on Naboo. He had dreamt about the aftermath of their confrontation, of Anakin holding him place with the Force against the wall and then the young man taking his lightsaber. In his dream he had taken a slow walk back to his shuttle where he had found a note, complete with his stolen lightsaber hilt, from Anakin. On that piece of paper had been the words:

_I know who he really is. _

In his dream he had cried, broken down by the truth of his actions and of what he had done to their bond. And then the dream had changed to Dooku's face, to the words the Sith had said to him and how Anakin had scarred him on the face and how he would have killed him if Dooku hadn't stepped into save him.

Yet the dream he had felt was the _truth _and that he had never lost his memories. That he had never suffered a head injury that would cause that trauma.

"Why do I feel so confused?" he slurred, the drug that had kept him asleep was still wearing off.

His sight was still blurred but he could see the outline of someone reaching for him. He tried to move his wrists to defend himself but found that his hands were strapped to the bed. He was a prisoner. Wetness dripped on his lips and he realised they were trying to get him to drink. His throat felt parched and he greedily drunk the fluid, not even considering the possibility that it could be poisoned or drugged. He was too tired to even think straight.

"Obi-Wan…"

The voice reached though the haziness and he blinked, trying to clear his head as best as he was able to.

"Just drink and let yourself wake up naturally when you are ready to."

Obi-Wan's eyes closed once more.

* * *

Mace Windu watched over the fallen Jedi Master lying peacefully asleep in the bed, kept restrained for his own safety. Obi-Wan was a dear friend of his and to see him like this was difficult to comprehend. His Force aura was mixed, light and dark as if it didn't know what direction to go in.

He didn't want to invade the man's mind but the Council had ruled that someone had to. They had to find out what the Count had done to alter Obi-Wan's memories. Skywalker had explained to the Council what had happened on the Separatist cruiser. This needed to be investigated, the Council had to know. Mace had been chosen for the task because they felt he had the right amount of power to be able to force himself inside Obi-Wan's mind without damaging him.

Sitting beside his friend, Windu contemplated him. He would never have considered the possibility that a Jedi, as pure as Obi-Wan, could ever turn to the dark side. If any Jedi was at a high risk of falling it would be Skywalker who had shown a constant disregard for the rules and the Jedi code. The secrets that had been revealed about him had furthered Mace's distrust of the boy.

But he couldn't deny that the young man was handling himself well during these unexpected events.

Leaning forward, Mace placed his hands on the sides of Obi-Wan's head and delved into his mind.

And what he found, he did not like at all.

* * *

Anakin stood in the centre of the Council chamber; arms folded in front of him, listening to the report that Mace Windu was giving about his examination of Obi-Wan's mind. The Council had not informed him of the action they were going to take regarding learning exactly why Obi-Wan had completely turned on Anakin and the Republic because if he had known, Anakin would have demanded to have been there.

Or at least be the one to investigate his Master's mind.

"Count Dooku has not succeeded in wiping Master Kenobi's mind," said Mace sullenly. "He has however managed to erect a dark side barrier inside Obi-Wan's mind. I tried to break down the barriers but I risked doing serious damage to him."

"What are these dark side barriers hiding?" questioned Saesee Tiin.

"His mind has been altered. Dooku left a mark in erecting false images to appear as a memory. Kenobi believes that Skywalker," Mace's eyes flickered to Anakin, "scarred him and has joined the Sith. Those feelings are evident in his mind and in the Force around him, but he is also very confused. He feels dark but he's not all there. His turning is not on his own violation either so I do not believe that his rank of Master should be stripped from him, nor should he be expelled from the Order." Mace's eyes flickered to three members of the Council: Coleman Kcaj, Agen Kolar and Eeth Koth.

"He has still turned his back on the Jedi Order," mumbled Agen Kolar.

Anakin felt anger rush into his heart. How was this Obi-Wan's fault? Why should he be punished when Dooku had orchestrated it all? He was about to say something when diminutive Master Yoda interrupted what would have become a brewing argument.

"Not at fault for his actions is Obi-Wan. Help him we must. Help him to find the true memories we must. Manipulated by drugs he has been, twisted his mind… A true Jedi he is underneath the deception he has been given. Punishment is not the way he should be treated!"

The Council fell silent. Everyone knew how fond Master Yoda was of Obi-Wan. In the beginning years of Obi-Wan taking Anakin on as his apprentice, the two had met often, and a friendship had been born. Yoda would not take criticism of Obi-Wan lightly, even when it was abundantly clear that in this case he was not at fault.

"Then how do we bring him back? The Jedi have not dealt with a dark Jedi for a very long time, especially one that is a Master of this Council!" Coleman said.

"He still has the memories within him but only Obi-Wan can unlock those memories. We cannot force down that barrier. Such a force would kill him or even worse, ruin his mind for good," explained Mace. "He is conflicted… We need to show him that what Dooku has done to him was wrong, and that the memories that he believes are real, are in fact alterations. To do that we must be patient… Give him some trust. Keeping him chained up is not the answer."

"You are suggesting we allow him some freedom?" Coleman Kcaj was shocked.

Anakin folded his arms and interrupted before Master Windu could speak. "Obi-Wan has lost his faith in the Jedi Order. He doesn't trust me and he certainly doesn't trust the Council. If we are to rebuild his trust we have to trust in _him_. If the healers have done their job, the drug that made him so susceptible to Dooku's words should no longer be in his system. He might be open to a proper discussion, and allow us to talk through things with him." His words were passionate because Anakin Skywalker simply did not want to lose his best friend.

The Council members exchanged looks, using the Force to communicate with one another. Anakin stood patiently, waiting for their decision.

"This could backfire on us, Anakin," said Mace Windu.

"I know," replied Anakin stiffly. "This is my fault. If I had trusted Obi-Wan in the first place then maybe I wouldn't have done the things I have done… and they wouldn't have been able to be used against Master Obi-Wan." He took a deep breath. "I need to take responsibility for my actions… If this backfires on us, I'll do everything I can to help the Jedi Order."

"Even if it means killing Master Kenobi?" asked Ki-Adi Mundi.

Anakin swallowed. He didn't like that idea and for all purposes, he did not intend on following through with that… but… "I don't like it, but if I had to, I would do it." _Because if Obi-Wan became far too dangerous to remain alive, someone would have to eventually kill him. And I'd rather it be me rather than anyone else. At least I could hate myself. _

Mace swept his gaze around the chamber. "Then it is settled? We vote to help Master Kenobi find his true self again?"

Only two members didn't raise their hands but it was enough to pass the motion.

The Council were committed. They would try to bring their Jedi Master back to the light side.

* * *

When Obi-Wan swam to consciousness once more, he found to his surprise that he was not restrained. He had been before, he remembered that. Carefully he sat up, his eyes searching around his surroundings and finding that he was not alone.

Skywalker was there.

Obi-Wan felt anger bubbling away under the surface but what surprised him was that the anger he had felt before had been much more violent then now. He didn't feel that he could just leap out and attack his former friend. He felt that he could listen to what he had to say… That surprised him.

"You don't feel so angry do you?" asked Skywalker carefully, leaning back against the wall, his eyes focused on his former Master.

Obi-Wan didn't respond, instead he scrutinised the young man in front of him, the man that had betrayed him, that had not trusted him enough… Did Skywalker really deserve his hate?

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to," continued the younger Jedi, "but I didn't mean to hurt you. Keeping secrets from you only hurts you more, and siding with Palpatine against you was a stupid mistake because you thought I didn't believe you. I know he is the Sith Lord as do the Jedi Council but we can't act, not yet. We have to make sure he doesn't know we suspect him."

"Why should I believe you?" asked Obi-Wan, his tone not unfriendly but not welcoming either.

"Because you don't want our friendship to end," stated Anakin.

Why did that sentence seem familiar to him? It rang a bell in his head and a small thumping began at the back of his head. "I think I do. You've done enough to warrant me never talking to you again."

Anakin shrugged. "I would like to try to rebuild that trust… The drug that Dooku kept giving you skewered your thoughts. You are able to think clearly for the first time in months. You told me that yourself."

"When?" Obi-Wan snapped, hardly daring to believe that he would tell Skywalker something like that!

A hand slipped into Anakin's pocket and he pulled out a small, hand-held device and he handed it to Obi-Wan. "Here, look at the private messages. You'll know what I am referring to when you see it."

Grudgingly Obi-Wan took the device, not entirely trusting the young man. He switched on the data-pad and proceeded to look at the messages Skywalker had received. His eyes widened when he saw a message from himself, the date and time corresponding with the events of Naboo… By Dooku's reckoning, he should not even remember anything after a certain time… But it was clear this message had been spent a few hours later after Obi-Wan had supposedly lost his memory.

Obi-Wan read the message, his mouth falling open as he did so.

_Anakin,_

_You are playing a dangerous game, like Dooku is with me. You don't mean nothing to me, you are my brother and always will be. You have kept secrets from me and that is hard to forgive … but ripping the bond apart is an action that I cannot even forgive myself for. I should not have acted in anger. I was hurt by your seemingly betrayal to not believe that Palpatine could be the Sith Lord._

_Palpatine wants you as his apprentice, Anakin, and he will stop at nothing to make sure he gets that. Be wary of him._

_I know Dooku is doing something to me. I have a clear head for the first time in ages. I can't come back yet, I need to work this out… But I don't want our friendship to end. When this is all over we will need to talk. I can't come back yet. But I will._

_Palpatine will betray us all. He has already ordered my execution. The clones will not capture me. They will kill me. They have been programmed with this order, despite the public announcement the Chancellor made that I am to be brought into custody. I'm too dangerous to be allowed to live. I know who he is. And I can spill his secrets if I so wish to._

_If you intend on playing this dangerous game with him, Anakin, be careful. If he discovers your deception, he will use me against you. And your wife._

_May the Force Be With You._

_Kenobi._

He couldn't even begin to describe how he felt. He felt gutted, absolutely gutted. His heart sank and he slowly put down the data-pad. He felt like _crying_. He had believed everything Dooku had said to him. The man he had thought as his saviour had just wanted him as a Sith to use as he pleased. His hand became a fist and he had to fight the urge to leap off the bed and go and hunt down the Count.

"I'll leave you alone for a while," said Anakin quietly.

Obi-wan blinked. He had no bonds, nothing holding him in place… He could easily escape. But something stopped him from letting Anakin leave.

"How do you know you can trust me not to leave?" he asked.

Anakin stopped and turned around. "Because I trust that you are still a decent person and that you'll do the right thing. You still have honour, Obi-Wan. You'd come back because you'd feel guilty. And I know you will find the truth." With a small smile, Anakin left the room.

Obi-Wan remained in the bed. Anakin was right.

And then the tears flowed.

* * *

Anakin watched through the security cameras as his Master cried. He had never seen Obi-Wan cry before and he didn't blame him. He had been put through hell the last few months. He had been manipulated and used in the most horrible way.

It was a risk to give Obi-Wan some freedom however to regain his trust and faith in the Jedi Order they could not treat him like a prisoner. Even if Obi-Wan did flee, Anakin intended to let him escape, though the Council did not know that. Anakin was on guard, if his Master fled the Temple then he would know about it and pursue.

Though his Master was no longer on the mind-altering drugs and his system had been purged of the chemicals, the damage had been done. He was now susceptible to his emotions in a way Obi-Wan Kenobi had never been before. He was damaged and Dooku was to blame for it. He might seek revenge for what the Count had done to him. With his emotions out of balance, Anakin was betting on that happening.

Whatever happened in the wake of his freedom Obi-Wan Kenobi would be a changed man. He would never be the same man again.

* * *

That night Obi-Wan dreamed.

The lack of drugs in his system was no longer holding him back. His clear head meant that he couldn't even keep secrets from his self. In a lack of awareness, in the brief seconds before falling asleep he had sensed the dark side barrier in his mind. It hadn't really registered for him yet. Yet he knew it should not be there and knowing that triggered something in his brain…

He dreamt about returning to Serenno and confronting Dooku after the Naboo fight, how he had defended Anakin's intelligence from the wily Sith Lord, how he had told Dooku that he knew what he had still been doing to him and how the Count had betrayed him.

_"I am going to__break__you. I am going to rip your mind apart and rebuild you in the Sith that you should be. And you will be my apprentice. You__will__help me to destroy the Jedi and the Republic."_

Those words resonated through him and he woke, shooting up in bed, panting for breath as his mind exploded with pain. His hands went to his head as an immense throbbing began at the forefront of his skull and at the back of it.

"ARGH!" he screamed, bowing his head forward, rubbing his knuckles against his head.

Images flashed before his eyes as they hit him hard and fast. The cloud that obscured the memories he had thought lost broke away as what Dooku had trapped came rushing out. He remembered _everything_.

He had forgiven Anakin… Dooku not liking how Anakin had helped his Master had forcefully blocked specific memories and though he had no memory of the scar on his face happening, his instinct told him that the Count was the one who had marred him.

Anakin had never harmed him… And he had tried to kill him.

Obi-Wan choked and he felt sick, his body shaking with the impact of the memories that were happening to him.

_And now you know the truth… _said Qui-Gon, in his mind again. _You never really forgot. I did tell you that __a willing mind has the ability to see through things that should not be there… _

"Dooku did this to me," he said, closing his eyes, visualising the Count in his mind. The Count had sought to use betrayal against him, yet he had betrayed the man he claimed to seek to save. Uncontrolled, and unable to calm himself, he let his anger build.

_Obi-Wan, don't… _

But he couldn't control the tide of emotions sweeping through him.

Dooku had to pay for what he had done. Everything he had suffered through had been at the hands of that man. He hated being a pawn in someone else's game. It was the Sith, playing with hundreds of lives for their own sick and twisted and warped view of the galaxy. He knew that Sidious wanted Anakin, and the protective instinct roared up inside him.

_I cannot let that happen! _

His hands crunched up into fists, and he bowed his head, his aura bubbling with rage. He would not allow the two Sith to succeed in their goals, not while he still lived and had the ability to face them.

With that thought in mind, Obi-Wan Kenobi knew what he had to do.

**To be continued…**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Obi-Wan may be slightly damaged. He's not truly light yet. He's got a lot of issues to work through and time is running against them. His reaction here may be out-of-character, but he's not himself again and he's still dark in a way, but not so much anymore. This is what Dooku wanted: to have a conflicted Jedi that would be easy to turn IF he took him off the drugs. **

**Next chapter: **Sidious launches his plan to get Anakin to join him.

**I have no idea if there will be an update next week. I'm hoping to but I cannot guarantee it. I will be back out on clinical placement and doing different shifts so my ability to write may be hindered by my clinical practice as I will have to put my uni work first and foremost. Hopefully I won't take any longer than 2 weeks to update. **

**Until next time,**

**the-writer1988**


	21. Chapter 20: Alliance

**A/N) A bit of a shorter chapter here but this chapter is building up to the big confrontation… Thank you to everyone who is supporting and enjoying this story!**

* * *

**Twenty**

The Force was swirling around Jedi Master Yoda, consuming him in a gust of vast and varying futures, all of which were centred upon the actions and decisions of one man: Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Council leader was meditating; a sense of foreboding had come to him just a few hours before, as soon as the Council had learned that Obi-Wan had regained his memories.

Yoda had never doubted the younger Jedi but these turn of events had caused fluctuations in the Force, and the future of the Order depended on the next few days.

He saw many images fly past him, so many probable outcomes. Obi-Wan's immediate future was set in stone. He would go after the Sith, alone. The Council could not interfere with his path. The Force told him that to interfere would lead to a worse future, one that Yoda could not dare to contemplate. The path of the Chosen One was still in flux, wavering between light and dark.

These two men held the future of the Jedi Order and the galaxy in their hands.

The endgame was in sight.

* * *

"You're going after the Sith, aren't you?" said Anakin, leaning against the doorframe, watching his Master carefully.

"Yes," replied Obi-Wan, his teeth clenched. "I'm not letting those two ruin this galaxy anymore!"

"You do know that it will be folly to do so?" said Anakin.

"Ha! That's coming from the man who regularly breaks the Jedi Code!" snapped Obi-Wan.

Anakin frowned. "You know, I think I liked you more when you _were _trying to kill me for something I didn't do."

Obi-Wan's shoulders relaxed and his face softened. "I shouldn't have snapped at you… My emotions… They're everywhere… I can't close them off…"

Smiling, Anakin reached forward and patted his Master on the shoulder. It was good to have the real Obi-Wan back. When he had got the call to come to the Healing wing, Anakin had feared the worst, that Obi-Wan had escaped, but what he had found was a deeply traumatised man. He hadn't left Obi-Wan's side since notifying the Council that his Master had remembered what he had lost. He had already known what he planned to do at the earliest opportunity, though the man hadn't stated it.

"I know Dooku has made you like this… and I can understand why you feel you have to kill him, but like this? Obi-Wan, it's not the Jedi way, is it?"

Obi-Wan snorted. "You can talk."

"I deeply regret killing the sand-people. I will never make that same mistake again." Seeing Obi-Wan as he was now, had caused Anakin to rethink his slaughter of the Tusken Raiders. He hated the fact that they had taken his mother from him but to kill them out of anger had been wrong. He regretted killing the women and the children… If he had to have killed, only those responsible for his mother's pain should have suffered.

"Dooku is _here_, Anakin," stated Obi-Wan. "That's why I need to go."

"What? In the Temple?" asked Anakin, looking shocked.

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "No. I can sense him on Coruscant. I've been around him for so long that I've come to recognise what his Force signature is like."

Anakin frowned. "Why would Dooku come here if he knows you can sense him easily?" He couldn't even sense anything, apart from a feeling of darkness evident in the Force. He could not pinpoint Dooku.

"He thinks he can still get me on his side. He knows that I will try to take down Sidious," admitted Obi-Wan. "That was the plan. To go after him after we've destabilised him enough. But to destabilise him, Dooku convinced me you needed to die."

Anakin nodded, accepting that logic. "If Sidious wanted me as his apprentice, then I'd become a threat to you. But it was also a way of furthering your rage at me." Anakin walked the length of the small room. "So Dooku is here to help you face Sidious?"

"I believe so. I can sense him in the Senate district," said Obi-Wan. "I don't think he knows that I have my proper memories again." He stroked the whispers of the beginning of a beard. "I do want to kill Dooku too. After everything he's done to me he deserves to die."

"You're not a true Sith yet, Master," grinned Anakin. "A true Sith would go off in anger against their 'Master' that horribly used them and betrayed them. You still value the Jedi way. You want to save me… and that is the Jedi's mandate, to protect others." He ran a hand through his hair. "Though I don't know why you think I need protecting. I think I'm capable of looking after myself."

"Sidious is not to be trifled with. He needs to be taken down," said Obi-Wan darkly. "Why the Council have continued to allow him to remain in power is beyond me."

"It was because of you, Obi-Wan," replied Anakin. "And Dooku and Grievous."

Obi-Wan folded his arm, catching Anakin's stare with a critical eye. "And once they are gone he will order the clones to kill the Jedi!"

Anakin paled. "Obi-Wan… what do you mean?"

"This whole war is Palpatine's back garden, playing with it whenever he likes. He controls every single piece. There is a specific order for the clones to turn on the Jedi. He must be stopped and his power broken _before _Dooku or Grievous are taken out otherwise he will execute that order when they are both dead and the Jedi Order will _die_," said Obi-Wan.

"If you know this why didn't you tell me before?" Anakin asked." We have to report this to the Council!"

"You go then," said Obi-Wan, turning away from his friend.

"If I leave, you'll escape. And I'm not letting that happen." Anakin crossed his arms. "If you want to face the Chancellor, then I'm coming with you."

Obi-Wan stood with his back to Anakin, his body shaking. Anakin could sense the cloudy darkness in the room. It was unnerving to sense Obi-Wan like that. He really hated the Chancellor. In the course of his captivity, Obi-Wan had come to loathe manipulation, and the fact that he had been manipulated himself in the most horrible ways was at the forefront of his mind. He could not stand for manipulators to be in power.

Anakin could understand Obi-Wan's reaction to manipulation – he, himself, having been a victim of it for over ten years. By rights, and judging by his past actions, he should have acted rashly, but Obi-Wan's unfortunate situation had made Anakin begin to _think_. Anakin had never intended to hurt his Master, but in trying to protect him from the faults of his apprentice, they had become his downfall.

Dooku had effectively destroyed his life.

"Wait… hold on a minute," Anakin realised, "if Dooku is here to help you fight Sidious, are you going to _accept _his help?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes."

"Regardless of the facts of what he has done to you?"

Sighing, Obi-Wan caught his former apprentice's eyes. "He has hurt me, yes, but Sidious needs to die before Dooku. I was deceived by Dooku, I intend on deceiving him. We will team up."

Anakin's eyes widened. "And then you plan on killing Dooku, don't you? Betray him as he has done you?"

Obi-Wan merely nodded. He stayed silent, watching Anakin carefully.

"Let me come with you," said Anakin.

"No."

"I can stop you from leaving. I can raise the whole Jedi Order against you," warned Anakin, folding his arms across his chest. "Or you could let me join you and I give you back your lightsaber _and _I help you escape without being seen." It was a gamble but one the young Jedi knew he had to take. Obi-Wan would leave anyway. The only way to stop him would be to chain him up or sedate him, and those were situations that Anakin did not wish to impose upon his Master.

"You won't get in my way?" asked Obi-Wan, carefully watching Anakin.

"No, I won't. I'll let you make all the decisions," the young man responded evenly. He leaned back against the wall casually. He knew Obi-Wan was scrutinising him though it was much harder to do now that their bond had been shattered. The young man would give anything to have it restored.

After a few minutes of silence, Obi-Wan slowly breathed out: "Fine. Go and get my lightsaber and we'll be on our way."

* * *

Sidious could sense the danger.

Dooku, Kenobi and Skywalker were coming for him. They intended to unite when they met…

This was a move he had been expecting from Kenobi and Dooku for a while, but for Skywalker to be with them… That was unexpected…

_No… but I know all your secrets Skywalker. I know how to manipulate you into doing what I want. _

He smiled.

Skywalker's weakness was simple.

All he had to do was exploit that.

Pressing the button on the communicator on his desk, he spoke: "Mas Amedda, please inform Senator Amidala that I wish to see her immediately. Tell her… that I will be in my Senatorial quarters rather than my office. It is a social gathering rather a business one. And if she makes excuses tell her that is concerns Anakin Skywalker. That will make her come running to me."

"Yes, my lord," his aide replied.

Sidious sat back in his seat, a sneer crossing his lips.

Today would see the end of Kenobi and Dooku, and the fall of Skywalker.

And with them the Jedi would fall, and the dear Senator from Naboo.

Soon, the Empire would rise.

* * *

He could sense deception as he walked through the underground of Coruscant, a few levels down from the Senatorial district. Wearing a brown robe and keeping his head low, Dooku blended in well to his environment, keeping away from the lights that might have revealed his true identity. Slipping into Coruscant had been easy. Sidious had given him codes and had neglected to change them, though the Sith Lord had the suspicions that his former Master knew they were coming for him and was allowing them.

Reaching into the Force, Dooku could also sense Kenobi's presence moving rapidly towards him. It wasn't unexpected as he assumed that his apprentice, given the opportunity, would have escaped from the Temple and gone to assassinate the Chancellor. His presence felt different however…

There was a possibility that the Jedi had succeeded in giving Kenobi back his memories, but he couldn't be sure…

He moved further into the shadows, back into an alleyway, his eyelids in slits, watching through the gap for Kenobi to enter his alleyway.

The presence stopped at the edge of the alley, clearly sensing a trap. Dooku's hand curled around the hilt of his lightsaber blade, his thumb hovering over the activation switch.

Kenobi stepped into the alley. "I know you are here, Tyrannus."

Dooku thumbed on his blade, the red blade extending towards Kenobi's throat. He couldn't be sure he was trustworthy. "You escaped."

"Well," began Obi-Wan, "in a manner of speaking, yes."

"You are hiding something from me, I can feel it," accused Dooku. "What is it?"

Another lightsaber ignited behind him. "I suggest you lower your lightsaber, Dooku."

Dooku's eyes darkened. "Skywalker."

Obi-Wan raised his hands, his own eyes dark. "He's on our side, Dooku. He wants to kill the Chancellor _with _us."

Dooku frowned. There was something wrong about this. "You can't trust him, Obi-Wan. He gave you that scar." The scar was now partially obscured by a growing beard. "He was not truthful with you. And he allied himself with the Chancellor."

Skywalker snorted. "I've seen the error of my ways. I will not defend your old Master. Don't forget he has manipulated me too." The young Jedi was slowly circling Dooku, keeping his lightsaber pointed at the Sith.

So his simple lies would not work on Kenobi. He carefully probed the former Jedi's Force presence. There was still anger there, and the potential for turning to the dark side. There was certainly anger there for Sidious, but he couldn't detect anything for Skywalker. This was worrying. His plan hinged on Kenobi killing his friend and learning later that he had killed an innocent man.

"Skywalker may have scarred me but we have mutual goals," said Kenobi, "to destroy Sidious. He has agreed to help me… in return for his life." A dark glare echoed in Kenobi's eyes. Was that deception? Was Kenobi still intending on killing Skywalker after this? Dooku couldn't be sure. He was so difficult to read. There was a nagging doubt there.

He could fight both of them but he sensed he would lose.

"And I suppose in agreeing to help you, I spare Skywaller once Sidious is dead?"

"Yes," answered Kenobi. "With or without you, I will be facing Sidious. I figure that two Sith and a Jedi have a better chance against him then just one Sith and a Jedi." His face was unreadable but there was a sly expression on his face. "What do you say, Count?"

Sith were very capable of deception. He would take their deal, but he would be wary of deception.

"Gentlemen," he answered, "we have a deal."

* * *

Padmé woke to find herself in the Chancellor's Private Apartments. She was lying on the sofa, a pillow under her head. She didn't even remember coming here…. She blinked her eyes, shaking her head, trying to clear it, trying to remember how she had got here…

Summons… she had been asked to meet the Chancellor. To meet him in his senatorial apartments… which is where she was… but she hadn't come here herself… The Chancellor's apartments were always in the Senate building, but underneath the main structure, protected heavily from any explosion or intrusion that may happen.

Padmé slowly sat up, searching for the Chancellor. She had been concerned about coming considering she was aware of who he was, but hearing that it was something to do with Anakin had motivated her to go along. She supposed that had been a line to get her to meet him.

"Ah, Senator, it is good to see you awake," the Chancellor was standing behind her.

Padmé twisted her head. "You tricked me!" She had a vague recollection of gas being blown in her face once she had entered the Chancellor's office. She had tried to escape before it had consumed her but the Chancellor's office door had been sealed against her. She had collapsed…

"It was necessary, my dear," he replied, giving her a small smile.

"I know who and what you are, Chancellor. This was a trap," she stated boldly.

The Chancellor's eyes turned from the soft and welcoming eyes that he used in public to a glowing yellow, filled with red specks. "Ah… so Anakin has told you about me. I figured he had when you made that motion against me in the Senate."

"What do you want?" growled Padmé, not trusting the man in front of her at all.

"Your husband, Senator. He will join with me. When he arrives here with Kenobi and Dooku, he will see you die," he smiled quite nastily.

"If you kill me, Ani won't join you," stated Padmé. She stood up, staring the Sith Lord in the face, so sure in her convictions.

The Chancellor laughed cruelly, strolling away from her. "I will not be the one to kill you, Senator. He will join with me…"

Padmé shook her head. "No! I won't let him!"

"You have no choice. It won't be long until my guests arrive. I suggest you come to terms with your imminent death, Senator," the Sith said darkly. He turned away from her, leaving Padmé to sit on the sofa and contemplate her future.

There was no point in attempting to escape. The Chancellor wouldn't have left her free if there was any way to leave his apartments. She was smart enough to understand that.

She would have to wait, wait and hope that whatever the Chancellor had foreseen turned out to be wrong.

**To be continued… **

**Please let me know what you think! **

**So the crux of this chapter is Anakin and Obi-Wan are off to kill Palpatine, as is Dooku since he's reasoned Obi-Wan would attempt that. He doesn't consider that Anakin would be there. So, we've got Anakin and Obi-Wan making a deal with Dooku to help them but Obi-Wan intends to betray Dooku and kill him. Of course, don't count Dooku out of the equation yet ;) **

**And the Chancellor has Padmé which does not bode well for Anakin. **

**Next chapter: **Confrontation. And that is all I'm saying about that!

**I hope to post next week but I am now back out on clinical placement so it might be difficult to find time to write! **

**Until next time,**

**the-writer1988 **


	22. Chapter 21: The First Casualty

**Thank you for the reviews for the last chapter! Here is the next chapter. Took me a bit longer as I am now doing odd hours and am finding time to write difficult! This is the start of the confrontation. I do apologise in advance for the cliff-hanger at the end of this chapter… I cannot guarantee an update next week though I hope to update next week. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Twenty-One**

Summoned by Master Windu, Yoda walked slowly into the med-bay, using his stick for support. The door hadn't even slid closed when Mace spoke to him.

"Obi-Wan has gone, as is Skywalker."

Yoda had known this would happen, he had let it happen.

"We shouldn't have allowed Obi-Wan to have freedom," continued Mace. "Now we've got to send out search parties to find them."

Yoda held up a clawed hand. "No. Gone to stop the Sith they have."

"What?" Mace was shocked. "We agreed that we should wait until the right moment. Now is not the time. Grievous and Dooku are still on the loose."

"Intervene we cannot," advised Yoda. "Time is against us. I sense it… feel it in the Force. Acting now the Sith Lord is."

Mace's face had a stony expression on his face. "If you knew that this was imminent why didn't you say something?"

"Acting against Skywalker the Sith is… Against the Jedi Order not yet he is not," explained Yoda, "but careful we must tread if to survive this we are. Sent our younglings away we have for their protection… Put the Temple on lockdown we must, but keep communications open to those in the field… and to our allies in the Senate." The older Master looked hard at Mace Windu. "And hope we must that succeed Skywalker will."

* * *

As they got closer to the Senate, the overwhelming sense of darkness stretched out to them, engulfing them in its stench. Anakin shuddered at the touch of it as it felt like a welcoming embrace. He hated the thought of relying on the dark side; it repulsed him that he had used it. His former Master seemed to drink it in, his own anger remaining in check underneath the surface. Dooku crackled with it.

All three of them wore cloaks, with hoods obscuring their features. Dooku walked in the middle, between Obi-Wan who was leading the way and Anakin who kept a tight grip on Dooku's cloak.

"How do you intend on reaching the Chancellor's apartments?" asked Dooku. "He will sense us coming."

"That's very simple," grated Obi-Wan. "The sewer system. Come at him from below. Going through the Senate is suicide, only a fool would attempt to storm that. We will be reaching the pot-hole shortly that I intend to take. We are coming into the government district… we are more likely to be recognised."

Dooku nodded. It was a reasonable assumption.

They walked through shadowed alleyways, keeping as close to the wall as possible before Obi-Wan turned into an even darker alley with barely any light. He switched on his lightsaber so that could see what he was doing. Reaching down, Obi-Wan tugged up a pot-hole cover. A horrible smell reached Anakin's nostrils and he nearly gagged.

"Do we really have to go down there?" he moaned.

Obi-Wan fixed him with a dark glare. "You don't have to come with us. You can always leave. If the smell is too much for you…"

"No," replied Anakin instantly. He couldn't leave Obi-Wan alone with Dooku for one minute. Who knew what damage the Count could do?

Of course, said Count had to go and interfere.

"Perhaps it would be more beneficial for Skywalker to enter through the Senate? The Chancellor is already aware that we are coming for him, what if Skywalker pretended to be on his side? Keep him side-tracked? Distract my Master enough so that an attack on him is more likely to succeed?" suggested Dooku, smirking behind his beard at Anakin.

Anakin scowled. He hated that man. If he could have his way he would probably kill Dooku, but since Obi-Wan needed him alive for now, that option had been drastically taken from him.

His former Master shook his head. "No. Your wife publically accused the Chancellor of treason by ordering my death. Sidious will know that Anakin is only a diversion. We stay together."

Anakin could sense Dooku's frustration in the Force and he couldn't resist throwing him a smirk. He would not allow the Count to twist Obi-Wan's mind any further. He hoped that Obi-Wan's denial of the Count's wishes meant that he didn't want to be exposed to Dooku's treacherous ways.

Obi-Wan dropped down into the sewer system first. Dooku made a move to follow but Anakin stepped in front of him.

"You make one move against Obi-Wan and I will _kill _you," hissed Anakin quietly, stepping aside so that the Sith Lord could move.

Dooku allowed a small smile to slip through his beard. "He already is mine, Skywalker. Your Master will fall. I can assure you of that."

Anakin shoved Dooku. The Count straightened his shoulders, not reacting to the push and then jumped down into the sewer. Following, Anakin landed on his feet and straightened, the overwhelming stench getting to his nose and he coughed. He pinched his nose and breathed through his mouth, beginning to follow Obi-Wan and Dooku through the sewer, using their lightsabers as light.

They moved in silence.

They treaded for a mile before Obi-Wan called for a halt. "The Sith is above us."

Anakin stretched out with his senses, searching. There was darkness there, crackling darkness and hatred residing above them. He swallowed as he recognised another presence there. "Obi-Wan… I can feel Padmé up there…" he trailed off.

"And this surprises you, Skywalker?" mocked Dooku knowingly. "To turn you my former Master knows exactly where to strike. Your wife would never have survived if his plans had gone through to their conclusion. She is the one thing keeping you in the light…"

Worry filled Anakin's gut. He didn't want to lose Padmé. "Why are you telling me this?"

"No matter how much I hate you, Skywalker, one thing I don't want is for you to ally yourself with a man that you want to kill just because it will save your wife," replied Dooku. "He will use her against you."

"I can't live without her," replied Anakin.

"Then you will fail us all. And you will fail your Master, is that what you want?"

Dooku's reasoning was sound.

Anakin looked at Obi-Wan. His Master's very soul was on the line. If he failed Obi-Wan, he would ensure the man's complete fall to the dark side. "No."

"Anakin, are you sure Padmé is there?" asked Obi-Wan quietly.

Anakin closed his eyes, searching out once more. "Yes. She's in close proximity to the Chancellor."

"I'm not going to let you lose her," replied Obi-Wan. "If we can save her, we will. If there is a chance for us to get her out, then all three of us will take it, including you, Count."

"As you wish, Master Kenobi," answered the Count.

Obi-Wan turned back, searching along the wall of the sewer duct, stopping to grasp a ladder that ran up the side of it. Climbing up, he pushed open the sewer cap, and clambered up and out, waving for the Sith and Anakin to follow him. He was in a basement of some kind, stacked high full of wooden boxes. One small light hung from the ceiling, and there was another door past the boxes which he hoped would lead up into the Chancellor's personal quarters.

Anakin waited as Obi-Wan cut open the locked door with his lightsaber, clambering through when the hole fell through. They were now in a dim corridor and at the end of it were some stairs. Running to the end of the white, but dull hallway, Anakin, Obi-Wan and Dooku quickly ran up the stairs before they had to stop at another door.

Obi-Wan didn't bother to attempt to open it, he just plunged his blade into the door again and cut another circle, kicking it open and emerging into a much wider corridor where at the end, to their right, was the Chancellor's quarters.

Having been to the Chancellor's private chambers as a child, Anakin was surprised to see that there were no guards present on the outer doors.

"He probably doesn't want anyone interfering," mused Obi-Wan, his eyes darkening just slightly. "The guards are gone and if my senses are right then there is no one above us for at least ten floors of the Senate building… That is unusual…"

"It isn't exactly normal working hours, is it?" noted Anakin. "It's still dark. The working day hasn't started yet." Though he understood that Padmé worked long hours, it wasn't unreasonable to assume that some Senators would still be here. The worrying part was that there wasn't any hint of any life moving on the ten levels up. "Could he be holding them hostage?"

"I don't know," frowned Obi-Wan. "I can't sense their emotions… the dark side is too strong here."

Anakin resisted the urge to point out that Obi-Wan was partially fallen anyway and so should be able to sense any Senator's emotions. But he didn't because if he did so it might give Dooku the opportunity to try to take him again and he was not going to allow the Count another chance.

"I sense fear…" said Dooku quietly. "The Senators remaining here, I believe, are all allies of Senator Amidala or of the Jedi Order. It appears my Master is acting against those that are a threat to him. He may have closed off the Senate building."

"Great," muttered Anakin. "Just what we need: more hostages."

"My former Master is under threat. He knows that together we have the chance to defeat him. Hostages are his only option in ensuring ours and especially _yours,_ Skywalker, compliance," said Dooku. "It may not be possible to save all of them."

"Though we will try," added Obi-Wan. "Regardless of the way I feel about the Jedi Order, I still have the values of a Jedi indoctrinated in me. They are not something I can easily forget."

Dooku nodded, accepting Obi-Wan's decision.

"We need to be careful," added Obi-Wan. "The Chancellor will try anything he can to keep himself in power." He held his lightsaber hilt in his right hand and started to walk towards the entrance to the Chancellor's quarters. Oddly enough it had only been with the installation of Palpatine as Chancellor that he had started to live underneath the Senate. No other Chancellor had ever taken that radical step before as most did want to spend time with their families, however since Palpatine had never shown any interest in settling down, then it was considered normal for him to make his home underneath the main structure of the Senate building.

"I'm ready," said Anakin. _I think. _

But doubt had settled into his mind. Knowing that Padmé was in danger changed everything. Anakin didn't want to lose her but he faced doing so because he had trusted the wrong man. Potentially, Anakin understood that he had the fate of the universe in his hands. If he messed up for love he would doom everybody.

But how could he live without Padmé? He just couldn't conceive of a world without her. He would save her. He wouldn't let her die and he meant that.

* * *

The door to the Chancellor's quarters slid open of their own accord; the controls, Obi-Wan reasoned, must be in the hands of the Sith. He was certain that they weren't simply to admit anyone who came to the door.

He tried to focus the anger he felt. This man had betrayed everything he stood for. He simply did not care for the people he was meant to protect. The Chancellor did not deserve to live. He was a threat to not just the Jedi but to the whole galaxy. He was also responsible for wooing Anakin, possibly encouraging his independence and his ways of disobeying sensible orders.

And he had tried to have him killed. Obi-Wan still felt angry about that. Yes, Obi-Wan knew his identity. The least he had expected was for the Chancellor to come and find him himself. It galled Obi-Wan that he had left that particular job up to the clones… and possibly Anakin if Sidious' plans for his young friend had been seen through to completion.

Stepping into the Chancellor's quarters, Obi-Wan immediately activated his lightsaber. He was taking no chances when it came to this particular Sith. The main lounge area was empty but it crackled with dark Force energy. "Be alert," he whispered to his two companions.

Moving into the wider area, a larger lounge, Obi-Wan found Padmé standing beside the Chancellor.

Padmé's eyes widened when she saw Anakin step in behind him.

"Ah, Master Kenobi… Anakin… and of course my former, _traitorous _apprentice," the Chancellor said, his red eyes blazing as they fixed upon Obi-Wan and Dooku. "Working together to destroy me, how ironic. I rather think, gentleman, that I am one step ahead of you."

Obi-Wan smirked. "I don't think so." He raised his lightsaber, pointing it directly at the Chancellor.

"One wrong move…" Sidious' threat was clear as his eyes moved briefly to the Senator at his side.

Anakin stepped forward. "Please, let her go. She's done nothing to you." His strength was crumbling; Obi-Wan could sense it, despite their broken bond.

"No," responded the Sith Lord. "Senator Amidala is here to stay." His eyes glinted. "Though I will release her if you agree to back down, and join me, Anakin."

Obi-Wan noticed Anakin's body tremble. "Don't listen to him."

Padmé shook her head, warning her husband to not fall for the Sith's words.

"But…" Anakin began, "he'll kill her!"

"Don't back down from what you have to do, Ani!" said Padmé, quietly.

"It is the only way to save her," prompted Sidious. "Allow me to release her and deal with these two traitors, and then, perhaps we can talk about the future of the Republic and of the Jedi Order."

"What is there to discuss about the Order?" Obi-Wan interrupted before Anakin could even reply. "That it needs to be eradicated for good? That the galaxy needs to be cleansed of all Jedi? I know of your plans, Sidious. Your intention is to wipe out the Jedi Order and take this galaxy in your fist, controlling it as an Empire rather than a democracy it should be! The Clone War is just a means to an end. And I am going to kill you for everything you have done!"

Sidious chuckled. "Anger, Master Kenobi? That is unbecoming of a Jedi Master… a Council member no less…"

Obi-Wan glared at the Sith Master. "You already know what I nearly am. I won't let you do what Dooku has done to me to Anakin!" He lunged forward, using the Force to yank Padmé away from Palpatine's grip, bringing his lightsaber around in an arc, aiming directly for the Chancellor's neck, but the Sith was too fast.

Having lost his hostage unexpectedly, Sidious moved backwards and ignited his own lightsaber which was secreted up his sleeve, sliding down into his fist, and blocking Obi-Wan's attack easily. The red blade crackled against the blue.

Obi-Wan yelled over his shoulder. "Anakin! Get the Senator out of here!"

Dooku stepped up beside him, standing together with his former captive, their purpose to destroy the Sith.

But Sidious leapt forward, moving his lightsaber quickly to defend the attacks coming from two different directions. His parries and thrusts were fast, his entire being swathed deeply in the dark side of the Force.

Obi-Wan twisted around, blocking an attack, just as Dooku aimed for the Sith's knees, but the Chancellor was quick and jumped. He had not expected such a skilled opponent. Dooku had warned him that he had skills unsurpassed, that it might be difficult to defeat such a man on their own. Anakin had the power to destroy the Sith, but his attachment to Padmé was the issue. He had to get her away before he could help otherwise his emotions would be compromised and to save her, he would join Sidious. Obi-Wan could sense that and if he was forced to fight his friend…

The darkness crackled in him. He drew on his anger and pushed forward aggressively, abandoning his defence style, choosing to go against what he had always used, and knowing that the only way to fight back was to not be predictable. He was certain that Sidious would know of his fighting style, and would have already counteracted ways how to defend against it. Surprise was the only weapon Obi-Wan had left.

And it appeared to be working.

Sidious was on the defence, disbelief etched on his features. Though he knew of Obi-Wan's near fallen state to the dark side, he had not thought that his fighting style would have changed that much. It was a mistake that Obi-Wan could take advantage of.

Dooku was circling round, keeping the Chancellor on his toes, but barely attacking, choosing to leave Obi-Wan to duel the Sith. That had always been part of their original plan.

Risking a quick glance over his shoulder, Obi-Wan saw Anakin desperately trying to cut a hole in the Chancellor's door with his lightsaber. The Sith Lord had locked it.

Obi-Wan's distraction was nearly fatal. He ducked just in time as Sidious lunged forward. Obi-Wan leapt out of the way, his blade just skimming Obi-Wan's side.

"Pity, if you hadn't have _moved_," hissed Sidious.

Obi-Wan growled in his throat and launched another ferocious attack, drawing on the anger he felt for this man and what he felt for Dooku to fuel his attack and to throw them _both _off balance. Once again Sidious was fast, and Obi-Wan threw a Force push at Sidious, but the Sith didn't even need to move a hand or fingers to defend against it… battling it aside with ease.

As Obi-Wan jumped over Sidious, striking down from above, something happened that he had not expected. He didn't even see who had made the move when he landed on his feet, but Obi-Wan's arm had been out in Sidious' direction, trying to Force pull his lightsaber from him, but instead of that happening, Padmé Amidala went flying across the room, dragged from Anakin's side.

The young Jedi screamed in horror as his wife was pulled through the air.

Obi-Wan couldn't lower his blade in time as he had struck forward towards the Chancellor. His reactions too slow at how fast the Senator had been flung across the room, the Sith Lord stepping aside swiftly from Obi-Wan's attack.

Padmé barely made a sound as she was impaled through the abdomen, with Obi-Wan's lightsaber.

Shock registered across his features as she looked up at him in horror, at what he had unintentionally done.

"No…"

**To be continued…**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Erm… so who expected that to happen still? Remember the vision of Obi-Wan killing Padmé? It still happened even though Obi-Wan is now on Anakin's side… But who was responsible for that Force push that sent Padmé into Obi-Wan's blade? And will Anakin have noticed that Obi-Wan was **_**not **_**the person to send her flying across the room? Or can Sidious use this to his advantage? **

**Obi-Wan fighting with anger… being more aggressive, though he is clean of the drug, he is still quite susceptible to the dark side. He hasn't had the chance to shake it off… And he is still quite angry with Dooku and Sidious, though he's trying to keep hold of some of his Jedi morals. But is Obi-Wan still saveable? I'm just going to insert an evil grin here because there are still some twists and turns to come… **

**Next chapter: **The battle continues… but who will battle who?

**Until next time,**

**the-writer1988 **


	23. Chapter 22: Anakin vs Sidious

**A/N) Thank you everyone for the reviews! Here is the second part of the confrontation…**

* * *

**Twenty-Two**

Time seemed to slow around Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"No…" he gasped, quickly deactivating his lightsaber, stumbling backwards from the Senator, watching as she fell boneless to the floor. "Padmé…" He hadn't meant to hurt her, she had never been his target… but he had killed her. He could sense her life-force falling away.

"PADMÉ!" Anakin rushed over, falling to his knees beside Padmé's body. "No… no… please don't be dead…"

Her chest was moving slowly up and down and the light in her eyes were fading rapidly. "Ani…" She tried to move her arm, to lift it up and grab his hand but her strength was rapidly leaving her. "I don't…"

"Hang on, Padmé, please…" whispered Anakin quietly, almost so that Obi-Wan could barely hear.

The fighting seemed to have stopped for now. Obi-Wan closed his eyes, and sensed glee coming from the Chancellor, a victory that he could savour, the death of a potential, future rival in his conquest of the galaxy, and his surprise at what Obi-Wan had done. He knew then that the Chancellor had not been the one to Force-pull Padmé onto Obi-Wan's blade.

The only other culprit was Dooku and he had a vested interest on Obi-Wan turning on Anakin, but if Obi-Wan was working with Anakin it was likely the Count had realised that his apprentice was using him for his own ends. The Count knew that Obi-Wan intended to kill him after they had destroyed Sidious, and he was ensuring that Obi-Wan had no choice but to work with him if he wanted to survive Anakin's wrath.

"Anakin…" he said slowly, his body shaking from the horror of the crime he had just committed, watching as Padmé's lips barely moved against Anakin's ear.

"You did this…" muttered Anakin quietly, looking down at his wife's body as she finally slumped in his arms.

"Good… good…" Sidious could barely be heard saying.

"I didn't…" Obi-Wan tried to defend himself. He had wanted Anakin to save her.

Anakin glanced up, his eyes focused on Obi-Wan, anger settling into his Force presence.

Padmé was limp in his arms, and Obi-Wan dared to reach out with the Force. She was still there but her body was shutting down, it was failing her and he had killed her. He swallowed as he saw Anakin's body shake.

"She's nearly dead because of you!" screamed Anakin suddenly, spit falling from his lips.

Obi-Wan shook his head desperately, stepping back. "I was trying to take his lightsaber!" he retorted, pointing towards the Sith Lord. "I never intended to hurt Padmé!"

But Anakin was now moving forward, anger in his eyes and the thought of murder evident in his every step as he walked towards Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan didn't even try to defend himself as Anakin approached him, grasped his throat in a Force choke and pushed him back against the wall. Anakin stepped closer, Obi-Wan barely being able to breathe as his legs jerked as he tried to gulp in air. This is what Sidious wanted, Obi-Wan to die by Anakin's hand and it was going to happen… For a brief moment Obi-Wan wondered why Dooku wasn't interfering, but he realised he didn't want to be saved by him. He'd rather die here then see what Anakin could become… Everything was his fault anyway; if Obi-Wan had not been susceptible to the dark side of the Force, had not fallen as far as he had done then none of this would have happened…

Anakin was standing right in front of him, his eyes darkening in anger, his teeth bared in a snarl. The dark side crackled all around them.

Anakin's hand closed around Obi-Wan's throat, and the older Jedi dropped his lightsaber to the floor to grasp Anakin's wrists.

"Ana….kin…" he choked out.

But then Anakin's eyes softened and a small grin passed his lips. "I know it wasn't you."

Surprise littered Obi-Wan's eyes. Anakin was playing a game, despite the pain and emotional turmoil he was going through with Padmé's fatal wound. He hoped to deceive the real culprit, the one who had made Obi-Wan look like he had intentionally done it. Carefully, Obi-Wan replied. "It was Dooku."

Anakin snarled. "She's barely alive. I've put her into a trance as best I can."

There was still a chance Padmé could live but she needed urgent medical attention and they couldn't do that whilst the two Sith lived because they wouldn't let them leave even if they tried to fight their way out. "We have to take them together," whispered Obi-Wan.

Anakin shook his head. "No. You take Dooku. He made you what you are and he may have used you to try to kill Padmé and as much as I want to kill him for that, he's yours. Let me deal with the Chancellor."

Obi-Wan swallowed despite Anakin's hand still at his throat. It surprised him that Anakin was not seeking direct vengeance considering his slaughter of the Tusken Raiders when his mother had died due to injuries inflicted by their hands. Obi-Wan had to admire that Anakin was managing to keep his cool, despite the crackling anger that he could just detect in the younger man's Force presence.

"If Padmé lives, I won't regret letting you go at Dooku. He's done more to you then what he has ever done to me. He's destroyed your life," said Anakin quietly. He loosened his grip on Obi-Wan's throat. "Make sure you get him."

Anakin released Obi-Wan's throat. Immediately, the Chancellor started to speak in a cruel and dark voice.

"Anakin, you need to kill him! He killed your wife! Don't make the same mistake you did on Naboo!" the Chancellor contested.

Anakin smirked. "Chancellor, I am angry and right now I could kill him, if he had been the one to kill Padmé."

The Sith Lord stepped back uncertainly. "He stabbed her! There is no evidence for you deny that!"

"Apart from the fact that Padmé saw who really flung her across the room. It wasn't Obi-Wan, it wasn't you, it was Dooku." Anakin turned his head to face the Count. "You wanted to turn me against Obi-Wan… wanted Obi-Wan to kill me, and then you'd try to finish his turn. It won't happen!"

"I'm disappointed that you are not showing the same potential you had when your mother was killed," said Dooku, quite lazily. "I was sure that you were too impulsive to consider the true culprit. Perhaps I underestimated you, Skywalker?"

"No," Anakin shook his head, "you haven't. Because I want to kill you. But you have done so much damage to Obi-Wan already that out of all of us here, he deserves to kill you!" he spat, anger spilling out into his voice. He was barely keeping it together, his body shaking. Though he wanted control, considering the circumstances Anakin was having trouble trying to stay focused. He whirled back to the Chancellor who was still watching with some amusement on his face.

"If you think you can kill me, Anakin, you are sadly mistaken. I am more powerful then you," the Sith hissed at him.

Anakin stepped forward. "I don't think so."

* * *

"I see our partnership has come to an end, my apprentice," said Dooku facing Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan glared at Dooku, calling his lightsaber back into his right hand and igniting it. "I was never your apprentice, Dooku."

Dooku chuckled. "I do believe you were. You were nearly mine until you were captured. I did not believe for one second that you were not stringing me along. As soon as I sensed that you were hiding something from me, I knew that you were pretending to be on my side."

Obi-Wan's lips curled upwards. "Then why come with us?"

"Because like you, Obi-Wan, I want Sidious dead. I'm willing to work with you to see that done."

"That's a lie," accused Obi-Wan darkly, his eyes flashing in anger. "If you did you would not have tried to pin Padmé's death on me!"

"It would have worked if that Senator had not turned around to see me do it," grated Dooku. "You are much greater than the Jedi, Obi-Wan. We can do great things together! We can save this galaxy, save the Republic!"

Obi-Wan was shaking. This man had tried to make him the intentional murderer of Padmé Amidala, one of the most well-respected Senators of the Republic. She was an inspirational speaker and worked for the public. The Republic needed someone like her to keep them grounded, to keep them focused on what they were supposed to be doing. By trying to kill her, Dooku did not want peace.

"After everything you've done to me… IT WAS ALL A LIE!" roared Obi-Wan. "You've destroyed me as a person! Everything I was I can never be again! I've seen the dark side and I can't shake it off! You tried to turn me against everyone I trusted! Anakin may have kept secrets from me but he did for good reason!" He understood that now; it wasn't betrayal, just the issue of trust. It was a trust that had nearly been broken by Dooku's manipulations. "Qui-Gon didn't mean to hurt me either! He had never formally recommended me to the Council for my trials, what he did when he found Anakin was unorthodox but he knew I was ready to be a Knight! You tried to turn me against them and you nearly succeeded. I don't know who to trust anymore: Anakin? You? The Council?" He shook his head. "What you've done is destroyed me. And I won't let you _break me anymore!_"

Obi-Wan's anger was bubbling dangerously close to the surface and he was unconsciously drawing upon its power, feeding his will and determination to kill Dooku for good, to make him pay for what he had done to him. The Jedi Master simply did not care. He could not find calmness in his soul, all he could find was hatred for the man that had sought to save him from the supposed evil of the Jedi Order. The true evil had always been the Count.

Obi-Wan's thumb hovered over the activation button of his lightsaber.

"You sought to deceive me. Made me believe that Anakin had scarred me for life. When I forgave Anakin, that was against your intended plans for me. You still kept me drugged despite our deal! You took my memories from me! I nearly killed Anakin and Ahsoka because of you!" Obi-Wan screamed. It felt good to release his anger at Dooku, to let it all out, to make the Count consider what exactly he had done, and why he needed to pay.

Dooku allowed a small smile to come to his face. "You would have remained drugged until you had completely fallen. Once you've touched the dark side and embraced its true power you can never return to the light side of the Force. The Jedi Order will never accept you back."

Obi-Wan snarled. "Tell me. How did you do it? How did you keep me drugged? The food was never poisoned! I would have sensed it, neither was the drink." He activated his lightsaber, his intentions clear, regardless of how Dooku would answer.

"I am surprised you never worked it out," smirked Dooku. "My greatest achievement was still feeding you that drug despite promising you I would stop it. As for how I did it? Every piece of utensil that I owned was given a thin coating of it in a thin paste. Every piece of utensil you put in that mouth of yours was transferring the drug into your body system. You indigested it several times a day. You could not sense it because it was such a thin coating that it barely registered in your Force perceptions. If put directly in your food or drink, you would have known, but the thin coating worked beautifully. You were very nearly mine."

"Too bad," growled Obi-Wan. "You won't get the chance to turn me again!"

"I don't need to. You will fall today, I can assure you of that," smiled Dooku, his eyes glittering in triumphant. "It's a pity I won't be around to see it." He ignited his lightsaber. "Your move, _Master Kenobi_."

Obi-Wan gripped his lightsaber hilt and leapt to attack.

* * *

The one thing keeping Anakin mostly calm was that he could still sense Padmé's life-force. It was what drove him forward, his desire to stay in the light and not fall. It would not be what Padmé would want if Anakin joined Sidious. She had told him that much before her strength had given out. He wanted to make her proud and he would.

"Anakin, I could save your wife."

"No you can't," said Anakin, "because she isn't dead."

"I can stop people from dying!"

That made Anakin pause. "How?"

"My Master taught me everything," replied Sidious. "Let me pass on my knowledge to you."

Anakin stilled, feeling unsure. Padmé could still die. Putting her in a healing trance was just preserving her life until they could get her the medical care she needed. She could still die. His hand was wavering on his lightsaber hilt. He couldn't trust this Sith Lord. He had lied to the Republic about ordering the clone's to capture Obi-Wan, ordering his execution instead; he had lied and manipulated his way into the position of Chancellor; he was responsible for the Clone Wars and he had tried to use Padmé as a means to control him. He couldn't trust him.

"I helped raise you, Anakin," said Sidious, almost kindly.

"No," Anakin shook his head. "No, you didn't. You just took advantage of a young boy who had been separated from his mother. You never had my best interests at heart; you wanted to make me your apprentice just like Dooku wanted with Obi-Wan! You wanted to corrupt me, make me twisted and evil just like _you_!" He felt angry that he had been taken in by a Sith Lord but he had savoured the attention he had gotten for Obi-Wan had not been the parent he wanted in the first years of his apprenticeship. The Sith had taken advantage of that, gained Anakin's trust. It was a betrayal that the Sith Lord had masterminded years ago.

"She will die… Do you really want that?"

Anakin swallowed. He didn't but siding with a Sith Lord was not the way to save her. "No. But I can't trust you. It's funny, isn't it? Obi-Wan was made to believe that the people who cared for him had betrayed him, but the one person who I thought was looking out for me was the true orchestrator of everything. You betrayed me. And you tried to kill Obi-Wan. I will never join you after what you have done!"

Sidious' eyes darkened. "So be it."

And then Anakin attacked.

* * *

All his plans seemed to be falling apart with Skywalker's determination to remain a Jedi. Sidious cursed Dooku for taking Kenobi and nearly successfully turning him. Kenobi's near turning had caused Skywalker to rethink everything that the Chancellor had taken years to say in manipulating him. There was still anger in the boy, still the possibility that he could be turned, but even if he did eventually use his anger, Anakin Skywalker would never join Sidious.

Sidious reacted quickly to the boy's attack, lifting his own lightsaber into a blocking position before sweeping out and underneath to try to sever Skywalker's legs. Skywalker jumped, using quite an aggressive fighting style to cause the Sith to defend himself more than simply attacking.

Never once had Sidious' visions of the future shown that Skywalker would one day turn on him, that his efforts for over ten years would have been for nothing. It galled him that he had not been warned of this ultimate betrayal. He should have been of the possibility but he hadn't.

Moving backwards, Sidious Force-leapt back, creating a gap between Skywalker and himself, giving him a chance to recollect his stamina and tactics and to spring forward to engage once more. He poured all his hate and anger into this fight.

Mere skill could not defeat the Chosen One: the Force's champion of light.

"Getting tired?" jeered Anakin, meeting the attack.

"Hardly!" scoffed Sidious. "I am just getting started!"

* * *

It would take more than simple skill to kill Sidious. The Sith was fast, very fast. He seemed to be able to anticipate Anakin's moves very quickly, He realised with concern that Sidious had watched some of his and Obi-Wan's sparring sessions whenever he had visited the Temple. The Sith already knew how to counteract Anakin's aggressive fighting style because he had studied his form.

Anakin had to change his style if he was to gain any ground in the fight.

The Sith had spent years nurturing Anakin's aggressive side, he expected him to use that, but the least thing Sidious would expect would be a calmer Anakin, being guided by the Force. His worry for Padmé had settled in the pit of his stomach but sticking to an aggressive attacking form would not gain him any ground. If he wanted to save her life he had to compose himself, be the Jedi he knew he could be and had failed to be because of his attachments. He had to let go of his love if he stood any chance of being able to spend the rest of his life with her.

Closing his eyes briefly, Anakin reached into the Force, calming himself, falling into its guidance. _Guide me. Show me what I need to do. _

And then he opened his eyes and looked straight at Sidious. He smiled at the Sith Lord, feeling composed, ready to finish him, knowing that the Force would aid him.

And he moved, attacking first but quickly falling into a defence pattern, but one that still gave him opportunities to strike back in places that Sidious had to quickly defend. The Sith remained aggressive, fighting back at speed, causing Anakin to be more defensive but he could see a little bit of worry in Sidious' eyes. He had never expected that he would have to fight the boy he had been grooming to join him.

Anakin had to thank Obi-Wan for opening his eyes to this monster.

Gripping his lightsaber, Anakin twisted, bringing his blade down, but Sidious made the move to try to block his move, but the Force twitched and Anakin changed direction, avoiding the block, moving his body back so that Sidious' slash would not harm him. His lightsaber came across and swiftly came up.

Sensing the danger, Sidious tried to block the unexpected move but failed to do so, as Anakin's parry sliced through his right wrist. Stumbling back in surprise, the Sith Lord nearly tripped but he caught himself, stretching out his left hand to call his fallen lightsaber to his end.

Anakin smirked. "Didn't expect that did you?" He felt calm, at peace, one with the Force. He risked a glance over at Obi-Wan and his heart almost went cold. His best friend was fighting v_ery aggressively _against Dooku, pushing him further back, and yelling at him in complete anger. Obi-Wan was crackling darkly in the Force. He had to finish this battle with Sidious if he stood any chance of saving Obi-Wan from the seductive pull of the dark side.

"I may have lost a hand, _Skywalker_, but I can still fight you," hissed Sidious angrily, his Sithly eyes flashing dangerously.

Anakin adopted a defence position. "But are you as good?"

Sidious smiled. "You will find out."

And then the Sith attacked, moving just as fast as before, pushing Anakin back.

Off balance and surprised at Sidious' skill at fighting left handed, Anakin found himself blocking quickly, not able to take advantage of any openings. He had to change this, but he couldn't spare a moment to reach for the Force again in a way he had done to help guide him as before. Sidious wasn't even giving him a chance to gather his thoughts.

He was on his own.

Gritting his teeth, feet apart, Anakin made a stand, taking the dangerous tactic to stop Sidious from pushing him back. He could have lost his legs if he had not jumped when Sidious made a low sweeping arc with his blade, but that was the moment that Anakin needed.

He raised his left hand and grasped Sidious in the Force and pushed him back with a powerful Force shove. He leapt forward, trying to maintain his grip on the Sith Lord, yet Sidious tried the same tactic, attempting to push Anakin back. Yet the young man counteracted it by pulling the Sith forward with startling force, using the same method that Dooku had done to Padmé.

Sidious tried to block as he went flying past Anakin, the young Jedi stepping aside but bringing his lightsaber up as he succeeded in severing Sidious' left arm, leaving him weaponless.

Anakin stepped forward, intention in his very step.

"This should not be happening!" yelled Sidious, angry at his misfortune.

"No, it shouldn't," admitted Anakin. "The dark side is treacherous. In the end it betrays you. It's abandoned you because it knows you will lose." He moved his eyes back towards Obi-Wan and Dooku. "The dark side is aiding someone else now." He swung his lightsaber around in a circle, moving forward.

"If you kill me you can't save her!" shouted Sidious, almost desperately.

The Force nudged him and a voice he hadn't heard in a long time echoed in his head.

_You know you can't trust him. _

A slight smile came to Anakin's lips. The voice belonged to the man that had freed him from slavery. "Qui-Gon." He knew that the voice was real, knew that somehow, despite being dead, that Qui-Gon really was talking to him. And he trusted him.

"No," he answered Sidious. "I can't trust you. Padmé can be saved without your help." He had to believe that.

_If you don't kill him now, then you will lose Obi-Wan too. I don't want to lose another apprentice to the dark side. _

Qui-Gon's voice in his head sounded remorseful but Anakin didn't have a chance to think about that. He wanted to save both his wife and Obi-Wan and to do that he had to destroy Sidious.

Anakin walked forward as Sidious tried to scramble back on the stumps of his hands.

Anakin swung his blade with the intention to kill, but Sidious stumps came up and crisp, blue lightening shot out from them. Surprised, Anakin was flung back. He wouldn't have thought the Sith would still be able to do that without his hands. He hadn't even known for sure that Sidious could use Force lightening until that point but he assumed that Dooku must have learned it from him.

He writhed as the blue lightening continued to etch through him, hurting him even more. He screamed out loud, fighting to control his pain.

The torture stopped and Anakin scrambled to his feet quickly, fighting to control his body as it continued to buckle from the aftereffects of the Force lightening.

He came forward again, but when Sidious shot more lightening at him, he was ready. The Force guided him and his lightsaber came up. The lightening was blocked and rebounded upon Sidious himself as Anakin continued to rush forward, stopping just above him. The lightening stopped pouring from the stumps. Sidious' face was scarred, old skin dragged down his face.

Anakin pulled a face, disgusted and raised his lightsaber. "This is the end for you, _Chancellor_."

The Jedi Knight didn't even give the Sith Lord another chance to speak. Swinging his blade up and over his head he bought it down on the Chancellor. The shining blue blade pierced his chest.

Sidious' body went limp and the light left his eyes, his yellow-red Sithly pupils turned to their normal kind blue colour that Anakin had spent many years trusting.

He was dead, his influence gone from the galaxy.

Taking a deep breath, Anakin reached into the Force, searching for Padmé's life signs and found that she was still hanging on, her heart beating slower but she still lived.

And then he turned around to look at Obi-Wan and Dooku.

His eyes widened in horror at what he saw.

"OBI-WAN! NO!"

**To be continued…**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**So… Sidious is dead. I honestly have no idea if he'd still be able to use Force lightening if he had lost his fingers but I'm taking creative liberty to say that he can. Anakin seemingly turning on Obi-Wan… that was a diversionary tactic to make Sidious think that he was going to get Anakin. **

**I deliberately focused on Anakin in this chapter… Obi-Wan's battle deserves a chapter of its own, simply because it is going to be quite emotional. Everything that has happened to him in this story has been leading up to this moment. And for Obi-Wan's chapter to happen, Sidious really needed to be dead. **

**Padmé isn't dead yet… again I don't know how feasible it would be to be able to put someone into a coma of sorts with the Force that are not Force-sensitive, but again creative liability. It still doesn't mean she will live. **

**Oh, and now you know how Dooku was giving Obi-Wan the drug without him sensing it. **

**The good news is, is that this story has about 7 chapters left. I'm hoping by the start of September this fic will be done. Providing of course my brain doesn't take me in an entirely new direction but I don't think it will. **

**Next chapter: **Obi-Wan battles Dooku, and Anakin seeks to save him…

**To be posted next week! **

**Until then,**

**the-writer1988**


	24. Chapter 23: Obi-Wan vs Dooku

**A/N) Well I must apologise for the delay in posting this chapter! I only finished it yesterday! Still, here is the next chapter in which is it Obi-Wan vs. Dooku!**

* * *

**Twenty-Three**

"Can't you feel the power pulsing through you as you try to kill me, Obi-Wan?" sneered Dooku, continuing to bait the Jedi. "You are using it, I can feel it. You are drawing upon its power subconsciously, feeding on it to help you defeat me!" Dooku parried, twisting his light down and to the right as Obi-Wan's lightsaber crashed down.

Obi-Wan snarled at Dooku. "You opened me up to this! I can feel it, wanting me to embrace it, but I won't!"

Dooku laughed coldly. "Stop denying it, Obi-Wan! You already are embracing it! Killing me will seal your fate!"

"What matters is that you will be dead!" retorted Obi-Wan. "You won't be able to hurt anyone else again!" He swivelled, bringing his lightsaber down in a hard smash.

Dooku blocked it easily, still smiling. "I won't be able to hurt anyone else but you will carry my legacy onward. Even if I don't see this day out, I will have achieved my goal of turning _you_."

Those words should have worried Obi-Wan but he wasn't operating on a calm level. He was angry, drawing upon his hate for this man, wanting to kill him for what he had done, and what he had succeeded in doing. He knew he was slipping on the dark edge, yet the feeling of power that his vengeance would give him was more enticing then he had thought it would. With the dark side he could kill Dooku, he could sense that.

He was younger and had the energy to continue a lightsaber duel for far longer than Dooku ever could. Combining the two together would prevent Dooku from escaping, and that was exactly what Obi-Wan was doing. He did want revenge on the Sith Lord for what he had made him do, what he had turned him into, and that was not the Jedi way.

A slight hesitancy marred his next move and Dooku took advantage of that, becoming the aggressor instead of the defender.

"Allow your Jedi side to influence you, and you will lose this fight," smeared Dooku. It was a ploy to make Obi-Wan draw more on his anger, and it worked.

"I will not lose this fight, Dooku!" Obi-Wan shouted, moving into an aggressive stance, swiftly moving forward, pushing Dooku back and back, his Force aura crackling with the energy of the dark side, ready to embrace him.

Obi-Wan ignored the yells of Qui-Gon Jinn in his head. His old Master was trying to get through to him but the dark side was stronger, blocking out his attempts to reach through to him, to keep him anchored in the light where he should be.

"Much better, Master Kenobi…" jeered Dooku. "Now you are an opponent to fear! Do you sense it? The dark side feeding you? You are merely an apprentice to the dark side, and yet it favours you more than it does me. It wants and welcomes you…"

"Stop it!" spat Obi-Wan angrily, stepping into motion, aggressively hitting Dooku's lightsaber blade over and over.

The Sith Lord fell back, barely able to hold his blade up in defence as Obi-Wan's attacks increased in dominance, barely able to fight back as Obi-Wan continued to rain down blows faster and faster.

Dooku's grip weakened and his lightsaber fell from his fingers thanks to the domineering strikes that Obi-Wan had rained down upon him. The Count started to laugh. He knew he was dead but he had victory.

Obi-Wan took in deep breaths, his face sheening with sweat and his eyes shining yellow as he allowed his hate for this man to seep through him, to control him. Dooku was at his mercy. He had his fate in his hands. But he knew deep down that what he was thinking, what he wanted to do was wrong.

Dooku smirked. "And here I thought that you had the mentality to kill me."

His hands shook as he struggled to remain calm, struggled to maintain his grip on who he really was.

"I made you kill Padmé Amidala. I nearly made you kill your best friend. I twisted your mind until you agreed to work with me. I blocked your memories. I tortured you. How does it feel that your Jedi principles that are _so deeply _ingrained within you are holding you back from taking your vengeance against the man who _ruined _your life?" tempted Dooku. His tactics were clear. The Count knew that there would be no escape for him.

Obi-Wan's teeth ground together. He wanted to raise his blade and strike Dooku down. "I want you to die. Everything you did to me…" he swallowed. "I will never be the same again and it is all because of _you_!"

Twisting his blade in his hand, and with Dooku lying tired at his feet, a smirk of satisfaction on his face, Obi-Wan gripped Dooku's throat in a choke with the Force, lifting the Count up so that his feet dangled in the air. Very slowly, his fingers began to tighten so that the Count's windpipe was slowly crushed. All the memories that he had from his captivity coursed through his memory.

One of the first things Dooku had ever done to him was to choke him, cutting off his air supply. The Count's hands scrabbled at his throat, trying to loosen the grip, but Obi-Wan deliberately tightened his grip.

And then he released him; the Count's body slumping to the carpet, the older man gasping for oxygen to fill his lungs.

"Now you know what it felt like when you did that to _me_," hissed Obi-Wan darkly.

Dooku did not reply, instead opting to watch the Jedi closely, slowly gathering his strength together once more.

Here was a man who was deeply tormented, who was fighting an inner battle, fighting to save himself from the darkness that echoed within him. Obi-Wan Kenobi teetered on the edge of darkness.

"Am I going to have to sit here all day and wait for your decision as to whether you can kill me or not?" wondered Dooku. "Or are you going to fight me like the _Jedi you aren't_!"

Then Dooku sprung forward, surprising Obi-Wan with his bold move. The Count reached out his hand and called his abandoned lightsaber to him. Obi-Wan swung his blade in an arc and the two blades crashed together.

"Remember what I did to you," taunted Dooku. "I had a lot of fun destroying you… ripping your mind to shreds… I would do it again in a heart-beat."

Those words resonated through Obi-Wan's brain. Dooku wanted him like this? Well, the Jedi hated this. He hated the way he was feeling, despised the way Dooku's words could easily get to him. His anger was bubbling close to the surface, ready to explode once again.

And then Dooku said the words that set Obi-Wan off again.

"Qui-Gon Jinn would be disappointed in you. You failed him as a Padawan and you failed him as a Knight. You couldn't even save him." Dooku smiled in satisfaction.

Obi-Wan spat. "LIAR!" His eyes flashed. "Don't you dare presume what Qui-Gon would have thought! You made me believe that he had betrayed me, but Qui-Gon was never what you made him out to be… that was really _YOU_!" Obi-Wan pulled his blade away from the lock and brought it down hard close to the hilt.

Dooku's mouth twitched as he savoured the dark aura that Obi-Wan projected. He caught the blade in time, but once again he was on the defensive, Obi-Wan's thrusts hitting harder and harder.

"Everything is your fault!" yelled Obi-Wan, changing his tactics and lifting his hand up.

Dooku choked in mid-air, his feet dangling above the carpet, and Obi-Wan took one swing and Dooku's right arm was severed from his body. Forcefully he pushed Dooku back against the wall, keeping his fist clenched, watching as the Count continued to choke. The Count's eyes bulged and then he released him, the older man falling to his knees, barely able to hold himself up on his left hand.

Obi-Wan called out to Dooku's lightsaber, letting it fly into his left hand. He ignited the shining red blade, walking forward ever so slowly towards the Count, crossing the blue and red blades together.

Dooku leaned back onto his knees, watching with satisfaction in his eyes, though Obi-Wan could not understand why the Sith Lord would even be pleased at his defeat; that he was going to die within a few seconds.

"Kill me, I know you want to. Strike down an unarmed man and your revenge will be complete," enticed Dooku.

The blades neared his throat, and Obi-Wan fought the desire to cut.

An internal battle was being fought inside his mind as the two sides of himself clashed together in a contest of wills. The Jedi part of himself knew it was wrong and that was why he was hesitating because if he took that last step he would fall, he would further open himself up to the dark side of the Force. But the part of him that had been corrupted, that had been twisted, deceived and changed was the side that urged him to kill Dooku. Didn't Dooku deserve death after everything he had done?

Killing Dooku wouldn't make him better, nor would allowing him to live and that was the dilemma he faced. Obi-Wan's life had been changed.

"Weak," taunted Dooku.

Obi-Wan's anger flared. "I am not weak," he said coldly. His hands were shaking on the hilts of the lightsabers he held.

"Prove me wrong. Kill me now and you will show me that you are not weak," hissed Dooku vehemently.

Obi-Wan's hand twitched. He was tempted… Conflicted but tempted.

Dooku's sneer turned into a smirk. "I will never regret what I did to you. In the end you deserved it… you are better than the Jedi Order and staying with them was only holding you back. I opened your eyes to a new way of the Force."

"No you didn't," spat Obi-Wan, his eyelids half closing. "All you've done is make me realise that the Sith are cruel, manipulative and uncaring of everyone but themselves. I was never like that before you captured me! What you did to me was not out of concern for me but rather you wanted to use me for your own ends! If it wasn't for that drug I would never have allowed you to get inside my mind and twist it the way you have!"

"And don't I deserve to die _by your hand_ for that?" prompted Dooku, his eyes glinting maliciously.

"Yes," answered Obi-Wan.

"And yet you can't bring yourself to do it…" crowed Dooku.

"Because it's wrong. I should not feel like this. It's not the Jedi way," returned Obi-Wan.

"Wanting to kill me is natural. I made you suffer," said Dooku. "I would do it again."

Obi-Wan's anger bubbled closer to the surface. Inwardly he knew what Dooku was trying to do, what he hoped to achieve, and there was just that small lingering doubt in his head that he shouldn't be feeling like this.

"What a pity… You prove me right. You are weak, you always were…" smiled Dooku.

"Shut up!" hissed Obi-Wan angrily. He was shaking again, the anger he felt for this man bubbling so close to the surface that if the old man said one more thing it threatened to burst. His control was all over the place. Obi-Wan hadn't been able to find his centre since he had remembered what the Count had done to his memories. He wasn't a Jedi anymore, hadn't been ever since he had agreed to join with the Sith in the first place. Even now he struggled to find what kept him calm, what had the potential to save him.

But Dooku would not stay silent. "Why should I shut up when everything I say will just antagonise you further?" the Sith smirked.

Obi-Wan's eyes glared, his hands practically shaking. "You don't deserve an easy death…"

"I don't do I?" replied Dooku casually, his eyes ever watching the expressions cross Obi-Wan's conflicted face.

With Dooku's lightsaber still in his left hand, Obi-Wan deactivated it and threw it away, keeping his own lightsaber at the side of Dooku's throat.

"Weak," the Sith hissed.

"I AM NOT WEAK!" Obi-Wan shouted, his temper finally breaking. His free hand raised upwards, his hand clenching tightly into a fist.

Dooku was raised, his throat constricting as the air was taken from him, his oxygen supply cut off. His eyes bulged in their sockets.

With his right hand, Obi-Wan swerved his lightsaber in a circle before stepping forward, releasing Dooku from the strange hold and swung the lightsaber directly at the defenceless Sith Lord.

"OBI-WAN! NO!"

The sound of Anakin's voice ripped through the haze that had clouded his mind and his trajectory altered; his lightsaber moved upwards, barely missing Dooku's body.

Obi-Wan stumbled back, shaking his head as he fought to fight back against the dark thoughts that had entered his mind.

Dooku slumped against the wall, his eyes blazing at Anakin who was slowly moving towards Obi-Wan.

"You can't kill him," the young man said.

Obi-Wan shook his head, his memory reminding him of Anakin's words only a few minutes ago. "You told me to make sure I got him."

"I know," acknowledged Anakin, "but not at the price you are about to pay! If you kill him while he is unarmed, while his words can influence you then you will fall! Obi-Wan, don't do this… don't lose yourself completely…"

Obi-Wan's eyes remained fixed upon Dooku. "But what he's done… He made me nearly kill Padmé… He tortured me Anakin! He made me like this!" He spun around to face his friend. "And do you know what the worst thing he has done?"

"What?" asked Anakin quietly, his lightsaber hilt clipped to his belt. Obi-Wan hadn't even noticed Sidious' demise.

"He has no remorse for what he has done to me! I can't be who I was before this because of him!" Obi-Wan spat, pointing towards Dooku with his free hand.

"Maybe not." Anakin approached slowly, carefully and cautiously. "But you can heal with time. Just please don't kill him in anger and not whilst he's defenceless. I want Dooku dead too but if it means losing you…"

The haze in Obi-Wan's mind began to clear as Anakin's words began to seep through. "I would have killed you if it weren't for him."

"I know," replied Anakin. "But we got you back, we can do it again. But to kill him now will only cement your fall. Dooku will have won. He will die knowing that you fell. Killing him will destroy you because I know you will regret it."

Obi-Wan's body shook; he wanted to kill Dooku and he was still poised to make that fatal blow, but Anakin's voice was seeping through into his head. He didn't want to fall to the dark side; doing so would ensure the Count's victory, whether he lived to see it or not – he would still die knowing that he had won. He was living on the edge of the precipice. He could easily fall over it.

"I need you to help me save Padmé," continued Anakin. "We can take Dooku into custody and he will be dealt with by the courts." The younger Jedi gently reached out and patted Obi-Wan on the shoulder. "That is what you would have said to me all those years ago."

Deep down the older Jedi understood that he needed to follow that course of action, yet there was still a lingering doubt. He did want to kill Dooku.

"I'm surprised you are letting such words influence you, Obi-Wan…" interrupted Dooku, a sly grin upturning his lips.

Before Obi-Wan could reply, Anakin jumped in. "If you want to live, Dooku, you'll keep your mouth shut! You got that?"

"Perhaps I don't want to live in a world where the most promising candidate for a Sith Lord could return to the Jedi Order," answered Dooku.

Obi-Wan continued to shake. "How could you do this to me? Why pick on me?" He was struggling to maintain his calm; he could sense that he was losing control. Dooku didn't care about him.

"Because you have so much potential and it is wasted by the Jedi Order."

Obi-Wan held up a hand to stop Anakin replying. "And why is the Jedi Order wasting my potential?" he asked darkly.

"The Jedi Order is corrupted. I do not want you to fall with them. You and I together can fix things!"

Obi-Wan glared. "No we can't. The Jedi Order may have problems with it but they can be fixed. The corruption in this Republic was down to you and your Master and you tried to bring me down with it!"

"Obi-Wan…" said Anakin, noticing that his Master's voice had raised again. "Don't listen to him."

Dooku smirked. "Yes… listen to your disobedient apprentice…"

"Shut up!" yelled Obi-Wan. "You have no right to talk to me! I will never join _you_!"

"Yes…" smiled Dooku, "can you feel your hate for me?"

Obi-Wan was well aware of his emotional state. His anger was at breaking point. He tried to focus, tried to calm himself down, release the tension but he struggled to as his mind continued to remember what the Count had done. Finally, he said: "No… I won't kill you. I won't give you the satisfaction of seeing me fall further then I have done."

Dooku's Force aura darkened. "Then I will do what I must."

Obi-Wan stepped forward but the Count was too fast. With his remaining hand, he reached out with the Force and pulled his lost lightsaber to him.

With energy that he hadn't had before, Dooku moved with Force-enhanced speed, heading straight towards Anakin.

"NO!" Obi-Wan moved quickly. "You won't harm him!" He raised his own lightsaber, but Dooku blocked it.

With a flick, Dooku was disarmed again but the Count was determined to go down forcing Obi-Wan to kill him. From his remaining hand shot lightening.

Unprepared, Anakin couldn't mount a defence and he collapsed to the floor, writhing in pain, trying to supress his screams. But from his lips he managed to get out two words: "Don't…. Obi-Wan!"

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" shouted Obi-Wan vehemently, ignoring his friend's pleas.

The Count smirked. "Make me!"

"Don't….!" Anakin managed again, his voice weaker.

And then the dam broke and Obi-Wan's anger came forth. Anakin's torture had been the final straw. The tide was unleashed and Obi-Wan raised his hand, lifting the Count up once more, and threw him back.

Dooku landed on his feet, managing to maintain his balance. His Force-lightening broken, he stepped forward again, intention in his eyes. Again he threw the lightening towards Anakin, but Obi-Wan stepped in the way, blocking the energy with his lightsaber, sending it right off to the side.

Swinging his blue blade in an arc with the intent to maim, Dooku made a sudden movement, moving himself more directly into the path of the blade.

Obi-Wan was unable to react quickly enough to prevent a lethal blow falling upon Dooku, but a niggling part of his brain whispered quickly to him: _You want to kill him_.

His eyes flashed triumphantly. "You will fall!"

Those were Dooku's last words as Obi-Wan's lightsaber cut right into the Count's chest. The blade reached the Count's heart, the light left his eyes… and Obi-Wan's hands released his lightsaber, the blue blade disappearing and Dooku's half-body falling to the carpet.

Obi-Wan stepped back, shock running through him at what had just happened. Dooku was dead by his own hand. There was a dark voice in his head congratulating him on what he had achieved. The dam had broken and his body felt tainted by the dark side. In his anger at Dooku, he had still tried to maim him, not kill, but his attacks had been ferocious. As soon as Dooku had moved he had known what the Count intended to do yet Obi-Wan had not changed course, he had let it happen.

His thumb had only moved off the activation button on the hilt when the blade had hit Dooku's heart. Only then had Obi-Wan reacted, had consciously chosen to act.

To all intents and purposes he had killed the Count in cold blood, despite the Count purposefully moving directly into the descending blade.

Obi-Wan could have prevented himself from killing Dooku.

He hadn't wanted to kill him in anger and he had done so; guilt roared through him.

"What have I done?" Shocked and appalled, Obi-Wan stumbled back.

"I saw what happened," said Anakin quietly, slowly rising to his feet, his body slightly shaking from the after-effects of the Sith lightening. "Dooku killed himself."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "No… no… you don't understand. I did kill him… I could have stopped it from happening but I let my blade continue…"

Anakin's gaze sharpened. "Don't think like that. If you do then Dooku has won, even in death."

Obi-Wan continued to move back, his eyes remained fixed on the body of his tormenter. "I can't…"

"Obi-Wan?" Anakin's voice was filled with urgency. "Whatever you are about to do, don't do it."

"I killed him… He was defenceless… I'm… I'm glad he's dead…" Obi-Wan's head shook again. "I shouldn't be glad…" Because the truth was he did feel glad about the Count's death, glad that he had not stopped himself from killing him. He'd had the time to switch his lightsaber off before it would have hit Dooku's heart, yet he had not done so.

"What are you doing?" asked Anakin, watching carefully.

Obi-Wan looked down at his hands, and his eyes fixed upon his lightsaber. A spark of revulsion entered his body and he threw his lightsaber away from him, not wanting to be associated with it. His back hit the wall next to the exit. It was only then he noticed that the Chancellor was dead: Anakin had succeeded in destroying the threat of the Sith. But that didn't matter now.

The door next to him was locked but Anakin had almost cut a hole through the door, abandoning that task when Padmé had been injured. He didn't meet Anakin's gaze. "I've got to go…" said Obi-Wan. "I can't… I can't…" His mind whirled with jumbled thoughts, emotions tearing through him: pleasure, joy, hatred, horror, shock and remorse all combined to make his head feel like it was exploding from an invisible amount of pressure.

"Obi-Wan…"

He held up his hand to stop Anakin from talking. "A part of me just wants to cheer right now at Dooku's death. I don't know what to think… I'm sorry."

Feeling conflicted and emotionally comprised, Obi-Wan used the Force to push the hole in the door away, clambered through and fled from the Chancellor's quarters and out into the city.

Alone.

**To be continued…**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**First of all I'd like to address Obi-Wan's actions in this chapter. He wants to kill Dooku but he eventually realises what Dooku is trying to do. Though he does eventually kill Dooku it is not on his own violation. Dooku effectively commits suicide in a very unusual way. Dooku knows he has lost and he has spent too much of a vested interest in allowing Obi-Wan to return to the light. He is very well aware that he will not escape this confrontation alive. So Dooku tries his hardest to ensure Obi-Wan will fall. **

**Finally, Obi-Wan running away? He's a very conflicted man and he doesn't know what to do. For once in his life, he is taking the coward's way out because he doesn't want to face what he has done, what he could potentially become with his 'murder' of Dooku. **

**Next chapter: **Obi-Wan muses over what has happened to him and Anakin has a choice to make.

**The next chapter probably won't be posted next week due to the lateness of this one, but if I do get it finished I will post it **

**Until then, **

**the-writer1988**


	25. Chapter 24: Difficult Decisions

**A/N) Surprisingly I finished this chapter quite quickly. I'm pleased to say that this story has got two chapters plus an epilogue left. Originally I had an extra two chapters planned but I didn't feel that they were needed so I've chucked them. You'll learn exactly what those two chapters were in one of my author notes, possibly for the next chapter. **

**And here we go onto this chapter…**

* * *

**Twenty-Four**

He hadn't tried to stop Obi-Wan fleeing. Anakin could understand the conflicting emotions that must be raging through his former Master. The young man looked over at Dooku's body, wrinkling his nose in disgust. The Count was dead, he had deserved it. After everything he had done, death had been the only option.

Anakin ignored the body of the Chancellor; he was irrevocably dead, there was no question about that. Instead he walked over to Padmé's still body and bent down, placing his fingers on her pulse on the skin lining her throat. It was slow but steady, consistent with a coma. Anakin could have woken her up but he decided it would be better to get her to a medical centre. Her injury was likely to be severe if not treated.

Carefully, Anakin picked up her body, supporting her head in the crook of his arm. Her skin was pale but she was still alive, still hanging on to life.

He would contact the Jedi Council after he had got his wife to a safe place.

* * *

Anakin had taken his wife to a private medical centre, signing her in under own name but asking for anonymity. She was currently in theatre having an urgent operation to repair the damage to her abdomen. He was worried, he couldn't deny that.

_I have to tell the Jedi Council what happened. _

The Chancellor's body had yet to be discovered but when he didn't arrive for his daily Senate meeting then security services would be utilised to find him. The first place they would look after his Senatorial Office would be his quarters. Anakin sighed. He didn't want to leave Padmé but he wasn't even allowed in the theatre to be with her.

His mind raced as he considered the repercussions of the events that had happened in the last few hours. Both of the Sith were dead, yet neither the Republic or the Separatists were aware that their respective leaders were dead.

"Get a grip, Anakin," he muttered to himself. "Padmé will live. She's in the right hands now."

Calming himself through the Force, Anakin went to the back of the medical centre and stood outside on a secluded platform. Taking out his comlink he called the Jedi Temple.

"Anakin," it was Mace Windu who answered. "We've been waiting for your call."

Anakin swallowed. This was going to be a difficult conversation to have. "Masters, I have no excuse for why I left with Obi-Wan, but it is safe to say that the Chancellor is dead and so is Dooku."

There was a pause and Anakin could hear the brief mutterings of the other Jedi Masters over the comlink though he could not decipher exactly what they were saying. They were clearly coming to some decision about what to do, and it wasn't his place to be partial to this conversation.

"Master Yoda intimated to me that you and Obi-Wan had gone to face the Sith," stated Mace.

"It was Obi-Wan who was more adamant. The only way I could have stayed with him would be to help him. Trying to stop him would shatter the very little trust he still has in the Jedi Order. For his sake, I had to let him go," answered Anakin. He would not mention what had happened in the duel just yet. There was a time and a place for a proper debriefing.

"Very well. Where is Obi-Wan?" asked Mace.

Anakin bit his lip. This was a question he couldn't avoid answering. "He… he ran away."

"He what?"

He could register the surprise in the voices of the Council members.

"Dooku tried to entice Obi-Wan to use the dark side. But he was fighting it, so Dooku did the one thing that would make Obi-Wan fall." Anakin paused, unsure of how to continue. "Dooku killed himself using Obi-Wan. He had to leave. We may no longer have a bond but even I could sense how conflicted he was after _that_."

"And you let him go?" accused Windu.

"He left his lightsaber at the scene," retorted Anakin, sounding a little annoyed that the Master thought he had done something wrong. "I have it with me. I'm at the med-centre in Galactic City. Palpatine took my wife… He tried to turn me but failed. Dooku made it look like that Obi-Wan had killed Padmé but she's still alive and in surgery. I had to get her to a hospital. Obi-Wan isn't dangerous, just very confused, and I think he needs the time to sort through things on his own."

Mace sighed audibly. "We can't have Obi-Wan running around the capital with the Chancellor murdered. The suspicion may very well fall on him. He needs to return to the Temple and the Council needs to assess whether he is safe or not. Only the Order can protect him from the fallout that the Chancellor's death will cause."

"Dooku's body remains there too. The blame could be shifted on him," added Anakin.

"That may not help…" answered Mace slowly. "If Dooku was killed by a lightsaber it is possible whoever investigates the scene could leap to the wrong conclusions. Obi-Wan could be arrested. His forced defection to the Separatists has not been rescinded by the Chancellor's office because we never announced that Master Kenobi had been captured. If he's seen wandering the streets, the blame will fall on him."

Anakin hadn't considered the possibility that Obi-Wan could be tried for the Chancellor's murder, though he hadn't been the one to kill him. He wanted to stay with Padmé, make sure that she would be fine after her surgery.

"Therefore we are asking you to find him and bring him back to the Temple. At least until this crisis is over. If he wishes to have time away from the Order, and we believe it is in his best interests to do so, Obi-Wan will be free to leave. We won't keep him prisoner," explained Mace.

_That is unusually thoughtful of the Council. Perhaps they are realising that certain things are not black and white after all. _

What intrigued Anakin the most about Windu's request was that it wasn't an order. That made all the difference.

"We will contact Senator Amidala's allies. The fall out of the Chancellor's death could be catastrophic. We will also send Knights to guard Amidala while she recovers from her injuries. She has evidence we need to justify why two of our Jedi Knights are involved in the death of the state leader. It may be possible to blame Dooku for the killing however we must be careful to not alienate the supporters of the Confederacy."

"Your assignment to find Obi-Wan, mandatory it is not," added Yoda over the transmission once Mace had finished talking.

Relief swept through but Anakin's heart told what he had to do. Padmé was in the right hands. He had to trust in her to pull through. If it was him in her position, his wife would do her duty. Steeling himself, Anakin spoke again, breathing out slowly: "I will find Obi-Wan."

There was gratitude in Mace Windu's voice as he answered back. "The Council thanks you for this, Anakin. May The Force Be With You."

"And you, Masters."

* * *

Obi-Wan had fled deep into the Underworld, using the Force very limitedly to hide his presence. He hated how he felt, what he had done, why he had enjoyed it. Disgust ran up his spine and he felt sick at how the dark side's influence continued to urge him that he should be happy with his actions, but doing so he understood that he would be embracing the dark side fully.

He was running away to escape its influence.

Dooku had deserved death and Obi-Wan's intention had been to kill him after the Chancellor had been dealt with but things had taken an unexpected turn.

He felt guilty for enjoying Dooku's death, remorse for what he had done because he could have stopped it. He could have made the decision to turn off his lightsaber quicker. But he hadn't.

He hated himself for it.

He was in the lower levels, though he didn't know how far he had descended before he had slapped the button on the turbo lift bringing it to a stop, before he had leapt out and ran quickly into the dark shadows of the streets.

Obi-Wan found an empty, darkened alleyway, and huddled up into the darkest, filthiest corner of all. He didn't deserve any luxury. Pressing his back against the wall, he ran his hands down his face, small tears leaking out the side of his eyes.

"Why did Dooku have to do this to me?"

Then he broke down into sobs as his emotions overwhelmed him, his shoulders shaking erratically as the cry he sourly needed leaked out.

He was not who Obi-Wan Kenobi should be.

* * *

Surprisingly when two Jedi Knights had turned up at the medical centre, Ahsoka Tano was accompanying them. The Council had assigned her to Anakin's side as they felt that she would prove useful in the hunt for Obi-Wan.

The trouble that Anakin had was that with their bond broken, he couldn't sense Obi-Wan so he didn't know where to look for his former Master. If there bond remained intact then he'd have a passable chance of tracking him but he didn't.

Ahsoka folded her arms across her chest, looking up at her Master. "So, where do we start?" The Council had clearly informed her of the gravity of the situation.

"I don't know where Obi-Wan could be. Our bond has been broken. I can't track him," explained Anakin for her benefit.

"Good thing I have one then," said Ahsoka amused.

Anakin did a double take, shock registering across his face. "Since when did you have a bond with a Jedi who is not your Master?"

The young Togrutan shrugged. "I don't know. Master Yoda sensed it. It isn't well defined, just a very faint string. It's barely nothing compared to what you and I have. Master Yoda said I have it because of your bond with Master Kenobi is reflecting in our bond together, so the Force has given me a faint link to him which neither of us can detect unless we really search for it."

It sounded like a reasonable explanation and it was the only option Anakin had if he wanted to find his friend. He had to take the risk.

"Ok then," accepted Anakin, "lead the way!"

* * *

Obi-Wan was in one of the more dubious spaceports on Coruscant: the one mainly reserved for the Underworld. In his solitude in the alleyway, Obi-Wan had come to the difficult conclusion that he needed to escape the planet if he was to sort out his head. He needed somewhere to go where he wasn't in the centre of things, somewhere peaceful where he wouldn't have to worry about anything.

He had changed his clothes, though he had used the Force to convince a spice trader to part with a spare set of clothes. He had disliked doing that.

In seeking passage off-world, Obi-Wan had struck a bargain with a spice merchant who had offered him a free ride to wherever he wanted to go in the galaxy in return for his help for one spice run to the outer-lying planets. Obi-Wan had agreed because this smugger – a Rodian male – seemed decent and honest; someone Obi-Wan could feel he could trust to keep his word.

Though he didn't want to smuggle spice, at least it wasn't into the capital itself, at least that way his conscience would remain intact.

He felt guilty about his decision to leave but it was something he had to do.

The Rodian trader was just making one last check of his cargo before Obi-Wan noticed the sense of two approaching Force-sensitive's: Ahsoka and Anakin. How had they found him? They were too close now for him to start denying that he was here.

Anakin deserved to know why he had to leave: he couldn't just disappear without saying goodbye.

He turned to the Rodian who was still going down his list. "I've got two people coming to see me. How long can you hold launch?"

"Another hour," came the reply. "Then I've got to leave otherwise I will risk arriving late and losing a bit of my pay for this delivery."

Obi-Wan nodded. "If I'm not here within thirty minutes, then leave without me. As you said when you offered me this run, you don't need a second pilot, but the area of space you will be flying through requires experience. You just want to use my Force abilities to get a fast run." That part was true: the Rodian captain had all but said that when Obi-Wan had approached him for transport. There was no hiding he was a Jedi or at least had some Force abilities…Whether the pilot knew he was a proper Jedi was another thing entirely. There were plenty of people with skills enhanced by the Force but were not attuned enough to need Jedi training.

"Fine. I'll leave on the dot if you are not back. But remember, if you ever do need a lift anywhere, then the same thing will apply if you choose to come back to me for my services," the Rodian captain said.

Obi-Wan inclined his head. "It's a fair deal."

Turning away from the hanger, Obi-Wan moved out into the long winding corridor that led to other hangers. He hadn't even emerged from his chosen transport hanger when he saw Anakin and Ahsoka approaching rapidly, moving through the crowd effortlessly. He folded his arms across his chest.

"Obi-Wan!" Anakin smiled as he stopped in front of him. "When Ahsoka said you were at this spaceport, I thought you were trying to leave planet."

Obi-Wan blinked. "I was."

Anakin reached forward but Obi-Wan moved out the way. Hurt spread across Anakin's features.

"I need to leave, Anakin. I can't stay here," his shoulders slackened, "not after everything."

"You can't leave," said Anakin.

"And why not?" snapped Obi-Wan. "I'm not going back to the Temple. I don't belong there, not after what I've become."

Ahsoka's head tails twitched at that statement, a sad expression forming across her face. "You haven't become anything."

Obi-Wan snorted. "I wish I could believe that. Do I really feel the same to you?"

"No," answered Ahsoka. "But that can be fixed!"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, it can't. I'm dark, Ahsoka. I'm _glad _that Dooku is dead. I'm glad that I killed him. Is that the mark of a good Jedi?"

"Leaving isn't the answer," said Anakin. "Dooku is the one responsible. He goaded you. Yet you didn't fall. You may have enjoyed killing him but after what he did to you, it is understandable."

"The Council won't see it that way," stated Obi-Wan, turning his face away. "They'll deem me a dark Jedi and imprison me or they'll expel me and hand me over to the Republic."

"Do you really have so little faith in the Jedi Council?" queried Anakin.

"I was a member of their Council. I know the policies they will use to deal with me. They won't let me retain my seat, and they won't want me in the Order." Why couldn't Anakin see that? He had nearly fallen and he still could. The guilt roared into the pit of his stomach.

"You are running away because you are scared to face the consequences. Because you believe that you are guilty of something that was beyond your control. If you leave now, the Republic may blame you for the death of the Chancellor because it was last known you were working with the Separatists. The only way you can be protected from that is seeking refuge with the Jedi! The Council are offering you this!" said Anakin passionately.

"If I go back they won't let me leave! I need time to work this all out on my own!" repeated Obi-Wan.

Anakin shook his head. "They told me that they will let you leave if you wish to."

Obi-Wan bristled. How could he trust the Council on this? If he did, he could easily be betrayed again.

"They won't betray you," said Anakin quietly. "They know enough about your mental state that if they did it would ruin any chance of you ever wanting to come back to the Order. If your arrest is demanded in connection with the Chancellor's death, the one person who could possibly defend you is lying in a hospital right now fighting for her life, and running away will only make you even guiltier! I killed the Sith but they won't know I was there. They will see Dooku's body and because you were associated with him, they will make you their number one suspect. And if you are not protected by the Jedi, then you could die, and the betrayal by the Republic will throw you over the edge completely." The young man stepped forward, his eyes locked on Obi-Wan's. "If you fell fully to the dark side, I would have to kill you because that is my destiny to destroy the Sith. And I don't want to kill the man who is a part of my family."

"I am a murderer though," replied Obi-Wan quietly. "I could have stopped myself from killing Dooku! My blade went through his shoulder and I knew it was going to go into his chest, into his heart but did I stop when I realised this? No, I didn't! I killed him in anger, Anakin, even though I was aiming to maim him, that cut was still using the emotions a Jedi should not use!"

"I understand that! Remember what I did to the sand-people? I killed them in anger and I enjoyed it. They deserved to die at that time because I thought it was right. But have I fallen to the dark side? I regret that now despite occasionally still thinking they didn't deserve to live. What you are feeling is what is natural for human beings."

Obi-Wan leaned back against the wall. Their conversation in the middle of a busy walkway between hangers was not the idle place to hold such a discussion but this place was full of the type of people who did not care for others people's problems unless it affected themselves.

"Guilt won't turn you to the dark side, Obi-Wan. Running away will." Anakin reached to his belt and unclipped a lightsaber that was not his own. It was Obi-Wan's, the one he had thrown away because he didn't deserve to have it, and held it out towards his friend. "Please. Come back to the Temple until the fall-out with the Chancellor's death is sorted. If you still need to leave after that, I won't stop you, I promise you."

Feeling conflicted Obi-Wan wavered; torn between taking the lightsaber or making a run for it. His friend's compassionate argument was keeping him staying, considering the option of returning to the Temple.

He wanted to trust Anakin so badly because he felt that if he could trust one Jedi, the one that had kept secrets from him, then he could put his faith in the Jedi Order again. His Force connected surged then as the small part of him that was still ingrained in the light side encouraged him to take Anakin's offer.

On the other hand, the darkness inside told him he would be betrayed, handed over to the Republic and executed. He wouldn't be given a chance. He had been betrayed before, it would happen again.

_What do you think is the right decision, Obi-Wan? _

Qui-Gon's voice echoed into his head.

Obi-Wan startled at that, ignoring the looks of unease on Anakin and Ahsoka's face. _Running away is all I want to do. _

_It won't fix your problems or you. Don't throw away what you spent years building towards. You can be saved if you can bring yourself to trust those that want to help you. _

_But the Council… _Obi-Wan said.

_Master Yoda won't let you go without a fight. He is very fond of you. If you leave now, you will be lost because you will consume yourself with guilt, but if you chose to stay there is hope for you._

A single tear fell down his cheek, but Obi-Wan wiped it away, not wanting to lose control in public. _What shall I do? _

_I cannot make the decision for you, but I will always be here if you need me. _Qui-Gon's voice passed from his mind.

Anakin remained silent, aware that the choice in front of his former Master was a life-changing one.

Obi-Wan sighed. He wanted to heal. He didn't want to fall to the dark side. He hadn't wanted anything what Dooku had done to him.

And then it became clear in his head.

He knew what he had to choose, what he was afraid to choose of doing.

He raised his right hand, hovering over Anakin's open palm where his lightsaber sat.

With his left, he held the bottom of Anakin's hand and with his right closed the younger man's fingers around the hilt of the offered lightsaber.

Shock crossed Anakin's features but before he could speak, Obi-Wan held up a hand to stop him.

"I don't deserve the weapon of a Jedi, Anakin."

"But…" Anakin stammered.

A slight smile formed at the left side of Obi-Wan's mouth. "Not yet."

Anakin's eyes widened in surprise at what Obi-Wan was doing, how he had chosen to show that he would come back, but not as a Jedi, because in his view he was not one at the moment.

"You're coming back?" asked Ahsoka.

Obi-Wan nodded once. "For now. I may still leave because I do need the space and the time to think things through. And this place, this planet is not where I can do that." A sad expression was on his face. "But I don't want my guilt to consume me. I don't want to give you the pain of having to kill me. And I'm coming back because I don't want to fall, I don't want to become like Dooku or worse Sidious."

He swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat. "But most of all, I want to be a Jedi again."

**To be continued… **

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Erm, so where to start? Well, Obi-Wan was going to run away, was going to leave because he feels he has to. He doesn't feel that he is a Jedi anymore but he does want to be one again. I will admit that the inspiration for Obi-Wan closing Anakin's fingers over his lightsaber was inspired by The Clone Wars Season 5 finale: The Wrong Jedi… if you've seen it, you'll know it mirrors the actions taken by Ahsoka and Anakin in that episode. I thought it was poignant imagery and I think in this instance it worked well to illustrate Obi-Wan's mental state but also his desire to want to be a Jedi again.**

**Also, Qui-Gon is very useful isn't he? :D **

**Next chapter: Padmé wakes from surgery and learns some terrible news and Obi-Wan blames himself for her condition. **

**I hope to update next week! **

**Until then,**

**the-writer1988 **


	26. Chapter 25: Consequences

**A/N) And here we are, getting closer to the end. This chapter Obi-Wan faces the Council and Anakin learns of the consequences of Padme's injury...**

* * *

**Twenty-Five**

"_It is with sad news that the Holonews must announce the death of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. The Chancellor was found murdered in his private quarters this morning. His injuries are consistent with the cauterisation of wounds from a lightsaber." _

"_The Separatist leader, Count Dooku, was also found dead at the scene. It is not known whether the Count killed the Chancellor or whether both were killed by a rogue Jedi. Lightsaber wounds to both suggest Jedi involvement."_

"_This is not all that has rocked the Republic this morning. Senator Amidala has also been seriously injured with a lightsaber and is currently under surgical intervention to save her life, according to a maintenance worker at the Galactic City Medical Centre." _

"_According to last known reports regarding Count Dooku's whereabouts he was last working with rogue Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, who in a shock twist to the Republic, had joined the Separatists. It was claimed by the Jedi Order that Master Kenobi had been captured and drugged by his captors to join their cause. When reached out for comment, the Jedi Order refused to issue a statement citing that they were carrying out their own investigation into this tragic incident." _

"_With this state of affairs plaguing the Republic, Senators who are campaigning for peaceful negotiations with the Separatists have banded together to keep the Republic running smoothly during this painful period of transition as Senators vote for who will be the next Supreme Chancellor." _

"_Holonews will be following this story as it develops."_

* * *

A day had scarcely passed before concerns about the war were being raised by the citizens of the Republic. How could a war continue if the Republic didn't have a proper elected leader? Padmé Amidala's allies were working hard to achieve a peaceful transition, reaching out to the Separatist leadership to extend the hand of peace.

Angered over the death of Count Dooku most seemed unresponsive to their attempts, and those that did cited until the Count's murderer had been brought to justice they wouldn't enter any formal agreement. This was problematic as Bail Organa had assumed that the Separatist council might be willing to listen since it was obvious the Count had been trying to kill the Chancellor and had probably succeeded before being cut down himself.

Bail didn't know why he cared about the Chancellor's reputation. He had been in the Senate building the night before when his doors had locked shut and he'd been unable to leave his office. A message had come through from the Chancellor's office stating that he had been committing treason – though he couldn't think how he had been doing so – and that he was required to remain in his office.

The Senator of Alderaan had later found that all of his allies had been held in similar circumstances. When he had heard of Padmé's injury he had assumed that the Chancellor had begun to act against those that were a threat to his power. They had been right to mistrust him.

But for now their collective group had decided against revealing those little pieces of information. Once they had gathered the evidence they needed, Bail hoped to be able to present a full case to the Senate explaining how far gone the Chancellor had been and that he wasn't the revered leader he had been at the start of his Chancellorship.

He needed to wait for the Jedi Council. He had been in contact with the Order, and had asked about the possibility of a Jedi being involved in the deaths and all they had promised him was that when they had the full story, they would work together to present a full picture of the facts.

Looking at his chrono to see that it was now nearing midnight, Bail sighed. "It's going to be a long night…"

* * *

Obi-Wan felt awkward standing in front of the Jedi Council, even with Anakin standing beside him. The Masters hadn't even spoken a word to him, but they were probing his Force essence, which made him feel very uncomfortable as they were exploring every part of his psyche. He felt violated, unsure of whether their exploration of him needed to be done, but the reasoned part of his mind told him that they had to assess, have to know whether he was truly at risk of falling to the dark side or if they had a chance of rehabilitating him back into the Jedi he was before his ordeal at Dooku's hands.

One by one he felt the Master's presence slide away from his mind and he relaxed, his shoulders falling down and the tension was eased.

If his bond with Anakin was still active, Obi-Wan knew his young friend would be helping him, anchoring him with the bond. The lack of it made it difficult.

"How do you feel, Obi-Wan?" queried Mace Windu, keeping a relaxed posture in his Council chair.

"Tainted," he answered. He decided to be honest. "I don't want to be here." Because he didn't. It still felt wrong. His mind was still screaming at him to run away, to escape from the guilt.

"We don't want to lose you, Obi-Wan," said Ki-Adi-Mundi. "We sense a lot of guilt within you."

"What has happened is not your fault," added Mace, looking at Obi-Wan intently. "You are not to blame for what you did while drugged by Dooku, nor for the way you acted when you and Anakin went for the Chancellor. The Council understands that your fall, you usage of the dark side was not a decision you made. You were influenced by drugs designed to make you far more susceptible to the pull of the dark side. Even Master Yoda or myself would fall under those circumstances."

"I doubt that," said Obi-Wan.

"Why do you believe that it is your fault?" queried Adi Gallia, her legs crossed together and her voice had a soft lilt to it.

"Because I let Dooku get to me. I wasn't on the drug! I haven't been influenced by any chemicals the last few days! You washed it out of me!" retorted Obi-Wan passionately. "Therefore everything I did I am responsible for. I am to blame for Senator Amidala's injury."

Anakin shook his head. "No, you weren't. That was Dooku. He wanted to make you think that. The way Padmé was pulled across the room made it impossible for you to even move quickly enough without harming her!"

"The drug," began Mace, "was purged from your system but it still leaves a lingering effect. You were still being influenced by it whether you knew it or not. That drug has long-term effects. The active substance is gone from your body, which is why you felt better but a long-term drug takes a long time for every little bit of it to be gone from your body."

"I should have controlled myself," responded Obi-Wan. He wasn't going to take any of these answers. There was a part of him that felt like he deserved the blame.

"In your condition, it was difficult, and the Council accepts that," continued Ki-Adi Mundi.

"I can't accept that myself," replied Obi-Wan. "My life is completely different to what it was before. I can never be the same person again."

"Think too little of yourself you do, Obi-Wan," said Yoda, speaking for the first time since the session had begun. "Gone you were, but far enough you were not. A Jedi you can be again."

Obi-Wan shook his head, not wanting to believe that. How could he be the same Jedi he was before? Master Yoda seemed to be implying this. He wanted to believe but his head was telling him differently. He sighed, his eyes focusing on Mace Windu. "I want to leave the Temple. I need time away to think things through. Being here just evokes too many memories. I need to be alone to sort everything out."

"That is impossible, I'm afraid," answered Mace kindly.

"I don't want to feel like I'm a prisoner," replied Obi-Wan, feeling frustrated. "I know there is an investigation going on! Apparently I could be linked to it which is why you want me to stay here!"

"It is a possibility," explained Plo Koon. "You were associated with Count Dooku. That is information alone that could make the authorities issue an arrest warrant on you."

Obi-Wan sighed. "If I hadn't been so susceptible…"

"Stop it," interrupted Anakin. "Stop blaming yourself for what Dooku did. Even if you were arrested, you would be cleared. They cannot imprison you for something you did not do. They cannot prove that you killed both the Chancellor and Dooku."

"I did kill Dooku."

Anakin folded his arms. "No, you didn't."

"Yes I did." Obi-Wan didn't want to discuss this. He had killed the Count.

"Obi-Wan," began Mace Windu again, "if the Council may speak?"

Obi-Wan bristled. "Yes, Masters."

"It is our opinion that you did not kill Dooku intentionally. You wanted to but despite his torture of Skywalker, you still aimed to maim. Dooku's death was his own doing. Anakin has already reported to us the events of this."

"I still tried to kill him. And I'm glad he is dead." There was no point in denying that. The Council would be able to sense his feelings over Dooku's demise. "I still felt anger when I did try to maim! Tell me, how is that acceptable behaviour for a Jedi?"

"It isn't," answered Mace quickly.

"But regret you have shown," continued Yoda before Obi-Wan could say a word. "That you feel that proves that a Jedi you still are. Lost if you were, then regret you would not feel. Remember this you must if you wish to be a Jedi again."

"The fact that I feel regret proves that I can be rehabilitated?" answered Obi-Wan.

"Not rehabilitated. Healed," answered Yoda, a slight smile crossing his face as his ears twitched.

That surprised him.

Obi-Wan wanted to trust the Council. He wanted to trust that they were not tricking him. Could he believe in them? Were they really going to throw their procedures dealing with dark Jedi out the window?

"It's not a trick," said Plo Koon. "You can be healed if you want the help. You were drugged, forced and manipulated into using the dark side. We cannot prosecute someone who has had your set of circumstances."

"You didn't join Dooku willingly," added Saesee Tiin. "You may have thought you did but he did continue to drug you and his actions make all the difference. This is why the Council have chosen to help you instead of shunning you."

"Your Council seat will remain in your name," said Mace. "We will not replace you even if you want us to because this Council does believe that you can heal, and you can become the Master that you were once again."

Shock ran through him. Obi-Wan had not been expecting that at all. A warm, flush feeling rushed into him. The Council trusted him to find his way back: they wanted to help him. They were not going to expel him for his misguided actions. It made him feel good. "You really trust me enough that you would hold back on appointing another member? But… but Dooku… Padmé …"

"Not your fault," said Anakin smiling.

"If you wish to leave the Temple or even the planet you may do so," said Mace, "however we would prefer that you wait until the official investigation into the deaths of the Chancellor and Count Dooku are fully finished. If you were arrested and put through the judicial system it could have repercussions to your healing. Your name needs to be cleared first. We are aware that forcing imprisonment upon you will not help you to trust us. I said it was impossible earlier because of the possible ramifications your leaving could have. But keeping you here against your will is not beneficial to you. Though we are against it, we would not stop you."

"You would let me leave the planet despite everything?" queried Obi-Wan. Was this too much to be true?

"Mean this we do, Obi-Wan," answered Yoda gravelly. "Trust you the Council does in finding your way back to us."

It was those words that convinced Obi-Wan to stay until the investigation was complete. It was the trust he could sense in the Council that helped him to decide what path he should take. But he would still leave as he felt that he had to. He needed the solitude to heal, and to find himself again.

* * *

When Anakin got the call that Padmé was awake and asking for him, he left the Temple in a hurry, determined to reach her as quickly as possible, ignoring every regulation in the rule book and breaking several speed limits in his rush to reach her side.

She had been allocated a spacious private room in the med centre, and was sitting up a bit in bed. She had been told not to stretch herself too much due to the wound in her stomach, so that the tissue had a chance to heal before she could sit up properly.

But when Anakin walked into the room, a broad grin stretched across her face and relief shone in her eyes.

"Ani!" she whispered quietly.

"Padmé," he responded, leaning over her bed and gently pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I was… was … so worried about you. I thought your wound would kill you…"

"It nearly did," she replied quietly, raising one weak arm and gently grasping a few of his fingers on his left hand and squeezing a little bit. "It left me damaged…"

Noticing the worried tone in her voice with that last sentence, Anakin felt worry rush through him as he considered the different possibilities of what problems his wife could have. His first thought was that his beloved wife could still die, that her surgery was only a temporary fix to her wounds, however he didn't sense anything wrong in that area, but the concern remained.

"What is it?" he asked.

Padmé visibly swallowed, her pale cheeks turning even whiter if that was possible. "Ani…" She grasped his left hand weakly again. "Ani… Do you remember how we talked about having a family one day?"

A foreboding entered his mind and Anakin had the uncanny feeling that he knew what his wife was going to say. "Yes…"

"The lightsaber destroyed three-quarters of my reproductive system. My ovaries are barely functioning…" Padmé began to shake. Obviously the news was distressing for her most of all because she had always wanted to retire from politics and have a family of her own. But now it seemed that chance had been taken away from her permanently. "Ani… we can't have children."

Anakin swallowed, shock reverberating through his features. "Oh." What was he supposed to say to that? He struggled to think of what he should say, of how to comfort his wife because it was clearly something that had upset her. He took a deep breath, his shoulders relaxing. "Padmé… the most important thing to me is that you are alive. I'd rather have no children then lose you."

Padmé's body shook. "I… I don't know what to say."

He pulled his wife gently into a hug. "Let's not think about this now. Concentrate on getting better." He kissed her on the forehead. "I love you."

Tears leaked out of her eyes as she leaned into Anakin's embrace. "I love you too."

* * *

Returning to his quarters in the Jedi Temple, Anakin found Obi-Wan lying on the mattress, staring blankly up at the ceiling. Straight after the Council meeting Obi-Wan had told Anakin that he still intended to leave, that he was only staying because the Council trusted him. He had sensed that trust which Anakin had done so as well.

For once the Council was doing something right. The Council had also informed him that he would be called for the final decision regarding his position in the Order due to his marriage to Padmé and his murder of the Sand People at some point this week. He couldn't help but feel concerned about this. Anakin knew that he had to be there for Obi-Wan. If he was to be expelled would the Council allow him to remain to help his friend?

"They won't expel you."

The voice jerked him from his thoughts. Obi-Wan wasn't looking at him but he had spoken.

"If they didn't expel me for what I did then I doubt they will expel you," continued Obi-Wan.

Anakin frowned. "That's just an assumption. You were coerced. All the things I did were on my own free will."

"You destroyed the Sith. That's more than enough of a reason for the Council to overlook it. They won't change the rule of no attachments but they might make an exception for you," responded Obi-Wan.

"I wouldn't want special treatment just because I killed the Sith. That isn't fair," grated Anakin, sitting down on the side of the bed.

"Nor is it fair that I am not being dealt with in the way I should be. I committed crimes, Anakin, they can't ignore their own rules for me!" Obi-Wan sounded a little angry, a little bitter. It sounded like that he actually wanted to be punished.

Anakin sighed. Though Obi-Wan had accepted the Council's judgement he knew his friend thought he should be handed over to the Republic or at least to the Separatists since they were clamouring to know the identity of the Count's killer. Anakin suspected that Obi-Wan was contemplating doing that once the investigation was over and he could leave the Temple, though he hoped that his former Master wasn't going to be as foolish of that. He didn't deserve any blame. Manipulation and controlled by a mind-altering drug was enough evidence to show that Obi-Wan was _not _acting under his own free will, yet his friend thought he should have fought back and prevented Dooku from gaining control of him in the first place.

The research was there concerning the drug, _Tetramecinia__,_ the fevered drug that was powerful enough that even Jedi could not prevent overcoming them. All Obi-Wan had to do was make the effort to research this himself and even he would see that he would have had no chance in preventing the effects that he had. He would have been consumed, regardless of what he did. It had been what Dooku had uncovered about Anakin and Qui-Gon had also been his downfall but at least Obi-Wan was getting over the betrayals… or rather not seeing them as betrayals anymore.

Anakin folded his arms and looked at Obi-Wan. "When you actually commit a crime without being influenced then you will be treated according to the Order's laws. You still are experiencing some of the effects. Why do you think Dooku tried to keep on urging you in the office to kill him? Because he knew the long-lasting effects of the drug."

"The level of Fever I have in my system is very low, not enough to influence me or have any effect on my emotions," answered Obi-Wan. "I got my bloods tested. My actions in the office were all me. I did want to kill Dooku and I am his murderer regardless of what you or the Council thinks."

Anakin sighed. His friend was being too stubborn for his own good. How could he convince him that he really wasn't at fault? "Do you know how long those effects last once the drug has been purged from your system?"

Obi-Wan shook his head.

"A week for the shortest, smallest dose. I looked it up, and the drug continues to give you symptoms for a week, possibly longer for how long you were on it for. And since you were fed it over a period of months all your actions are still influenced by it! Even now it is influencing you! It may not be active in your system but its latched on to you. Despite this you still refused to kill Dooku even though you wanted to! Your instinct was to maim not to kill!"

Obi-Wan remained silent, not looking at his friend. An uncomfortable silence fell between them until Obi-Wan broke it, asking: "How is Padmé?"

"She'll live," answered Anakin quietly.

"She can't have children can she?"

The question shocked Anakin. How could Obi-Wan have guessed that was on his mind? How could he have known that that might be afflicting her? "How did you know?"

"It was a guess. That's another thing that can be blamed on me."

Anakin took in deep breaths. He was getting frustrated at his Master's lack of eyesight into what had really happened. "Padmé doesn't blame you. She blames Dooku. And," he bit his lip, "before I left her she asked me to tell you that she wants to talk to you."

Turning to face him, Obi-Wan answered: "I can't leave the Temple."

A sly grin crossed Anakin's face. "You can at night."

* * *

"_Whilst the investigation into the death of the Chancellor continues, Senator Bail Organa continues to collect evidence before he will make an official statement to the Senate. It is expected that Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo will also address the delegation of systems as it is understood that she was in the Chancellor's quarters prior to his death." _

"_A witness has come forward to Holonet News to provide us with the information that they saw former Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, Count Dooku _and _Anakin Skywalker moving into the sewers just an hour before the Chancellor was reportedly killed. Skywalker has returned to the Jedi Temple though the whereabouts of Kenobi is unknown. The Separatist Council has requested that anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to inform them as they wish to interrogate him regarding the death of Count Dooku. It is assumed that Kenobi is under the protection of the Jedi Order until the report into the investigation is issued." _

"_In other news, General Grievous is continuing to attack Republic planets but without the permission or direction of the Separatist Council. Just an hour ago, several Jedi Knights and at least one Jedi Master left Coruscant to track him down and bring him to justice. If Grievous can be captured this war could end." _

"_We will continue to bring you hourly updates regarding this breaking news story."_

* * *

Padmé was sitting up in the bed, dozing lightly when Anakin walked into her private room, followed by a cloaked Obi-Wan. She had seen on the news report that the Separatists were demanding his surrender so that they could question him. She was pleased to learn that the Jedi Council were not commenting as it appeared they were protecting him until the Senate's enquiry into what happened finished. Though she was healing in body, she knew that she had to address the Senate. That had to come sooner rather than later. As long as she was escorted by a team of nurses, Padmé could go to the Senate tomorrow and give evidence, which she hoped would then alleviate any pressure on Obi-Wan.

"Padmé…" Obi-Wan stepped forward. "I am so sor…"

Padmé held up a hand to stop him from saying what she knew he was about to say. "Don't. You have nothing to apologise for."

"But..." defended Obi-Wan, standing there, still wrapped up in his cloak, hood over his head to hide his features, slightly shaking. "I stabbed you."

"You may have been the sword but you were not the one to fling me across the room. Dooku used you to try to turn Anakin against you. If I hadn't seen Dooku make the motion it would have worked. My fertility is gone but it is not because of you," explained Padmé. "If you continue to blame yourself you'll just become a bitter man. I don't want that to happen to you. Regardless of my injury you had nothing to do with it. The man that took my fertility was Dooku, not you, and it never will be."

She could see Obi-Wan standing still in shock. Tears were shimmering in his eyes. "I won't be able to forget."

"I'm not asking you to forget," said Padmé, leaning forward. "All I'm asking is for you to not blame yourself."

Obi-Wan sighed. "I can try."

Padmé was tempted to say he will but figured that Obi-Wan might not appreciate that so stayed quiet. There was only so much she could tell him, reassure him. He had to work the rest out on his own. He had to realise that he was not at fault. She knew her husband would help him if he let him get close enough to do so. "Good, because I know you can beat this. You are a strong person, Obi-Wan, stronger then you think. You just have to believe in yourself that you can be a Jedi again."

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**So err yes, Padme can't have children, a consequence of what Dooku made Obi-Wan do. My rationale for this was because it just made sense considering where she was stabbed. **

**The news bulletins I thought were a good idea to use to talk about the bigger aspect of the war, of how the Republic and the Separatists are perceiving the deaths of both leaders. It also allows me to not get side-tracked into the more political world. **

**Next chapter: **The Council passes judgement on Anakin's 'breaking the rules', and Padme makes a speech and Obi-Wan makes a decision regarding his place in the Jedi Order. **I actually don't know if this chapter will be ready for next week. I may or may not be on holiday so if that is the case I won't have internet to upload. But if I am away as soon as I come back I will update! :) **

**Until next time, **

**the-writer1988**


	27. Chapter 26: Walking Away

**A/N) Thank you for all the reviews! Updating a bit earlier than normal, but this was done so I thought I would post.**

**This is the last chapter. It wasn't meant to be though it has now become it when I was writing this chapter. There is news at the end of this fic :)**

* * *

**Twenty-Six**

This was it.

It was her time to make a stand, to make a speech about the events of the Chancellor's death. Padmé was dressed in simple clothes rather than her Senatorial dress. Her nurses were watching from the side, had advised her not to wear tight fitting clothes to the session as they could pull on the stitches. They had only consented to this outing because the investigation into the Chancellor's death had stalled until they could hear her statement.

And Padmé had insisted of course.

As she was introduced to the Senate, Padmé cleared her throat and approached the podium slowly. Her tummy still ached from the wound but the bacta patch was doing its job of healing the internal muscular damage. She leaned forward, placing her hands securely on the podium, a stern expression on her face as she looked around at the waiting Senators, all of whom wanted to know what evidence she could present to them.

"I'm here to tell you the truth about the duplicity of the late Supreme Chancellor Palpatine," she began, projecting her voice loudly. "As a child he was my mentor, guiding me when I became Queen and became a dear friend. It pains me greatly to tell you that the man we all thought we knew was really a traitor to the Republic. The Chancellor held me captive in his office, with the intention to use me against Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker who he sought to seduce to the dark side of the Force." She turned her head around the room, casting her eyes over her fellow Senators. "Yes, you did hear me right! The Chancellor has the same powers as the Jedi order but he used those powers against us and the Jedi!"

"Former Chancellor Palpatine intended to destroy the Jedi Order!" The next little piece of information that she was about to reveal had come from Bail Organa who had been sitting on this piece of information since the beginning of the investigation. He was giving it to her to use in her case against Palpatine. "The Chancellor had instilled in the Clone army of an Order that was meant to be used to execute all the Jedi! Since this inquiry began, the senior Clone troopers have been questioned and confirmed this detail to us. That Order was going to be issued and every single Jedi would have been murdered!"

Padmé took in a deep breath. She paused ever so briefly. "I was held by the Chancellor in his private quarters, a means to an end. Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and Master Obi-Wan Kenobi arrived in the office with Count Dooku. They knew that the Chancellor would be acting against them so they worked together to fight back against him. The Chancellor acknowledged Dooku as his former traitorous apprentice in front of me, in front of the two Jedi – Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and Count Dooku were working together to instigate this war! Those words I heard and I pass them onto you now to consider the ramifications of this!"

"The Chancellor threatened to kill me unless Anakin joined him! Master Kenobi fought the Chancellor who wielded a lightsaber just like the Jedi can. He created a diversion for Anakin to try to get me out of there. I was watching the fight, the Chancellor had skills he should not have – he was not the man that I knew. I will never forget what happened next. I was flung through the air by the Force."

She reached out and patted her tummy. "I was stabbed by Master Kenobi but I had seen that it was Count Dooku who had used the Force on me and tried to make it look like that it was Obi-Wan who had turned against his friend! Dooku wanted to turn Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi against one another! It nearly succeeded if I had not remained conscious enough to share this with Anakin."

Her voice quietened. "I do not know what happened after that, save that both the Chancellor and the Count are dead. My evidence has come to an end, but I urge my fellow Senators, fellow Republicans to look at how the former Chancellor became someone who we did not recognise. Remember he issued an execution order on Master Kenobi, and though it may seem callous of the Jedi to act against him, the Chancellor was plotting their downfall. If the Jedi had not learned of his true identity, an Empire could have risen from the ashes that this Republic once was. I beg you to remember that matters of the Force we cannot understand, but we can rely on the Jedi Order to act accordingly when they identify a threat that is not just to them but to the galaxy at large!"

Padmé stepped away from the podium, taking in a deep breath, her eyes sweeping the Senate hall, watching her friends and colleague talk quietly with one another.

Whatever happened now would determine the outcome of the enquiry. She only hoped that the Chancellor's duplicity in the past would be considered. There was still more evidence to be collected and reviewed but how could the enquiry ignore the very fact that the Chancellor was responsible for the Separatists pulling away from the Republic in the first place? That information was not for her to elaborate on… that would come later from the Jedi Order, when Anakin testified. But she hoped that her speech today would clear Obi-Wan from being in the frame, of being handed over to the Separatist government for murdering their leader.

Would the Separatist confederacy really agree with what Dooku had done to Obi-Wan? Would they really seek to prosecute him if it was proven that Dooku was allied with the Chancellor? That the two leaders had colluded together to make a war? She wanted to believe that the Separatists were decent people, tricked and manipulated by Dooku as well, and that they wouldn't want to prosecute a Jedi within their own government.

If it did come down to that and it was a matter of the war continuing all not, Padmé had a feeling that if the Separatist Senators did want Dooku's killer, for peace they may very well demand his surrender. Padmé knew that with Obi-Wan's mental state still very fragile that any such action by the Republic to placate them might throw him further over the edge.

She had to believe that the Senators would make the right decision, that all of them were thinking of the Republic as a whole rather than their individual selves, and that was a tall order to hope for.

Sighing, Padmé settled down into the chair provided to her by her nurses and sat back to wait for the end of the session.

* * *

Before Padmé's speech, Bail Organa had learned of the events involving the Jedi regarding the Chancellor's and Count Dooku's death. He had been shocked at what had happened, at how far the two Sith had gone to destroy the Republic and one another in the end.

Though he had been aware that Obi-Wan Kenobi had been captured, he was unaware to the extent of what the Jedi Master had suffered, at what had happened to him to so change who he was as a person. Bail always remembered him as the calm Jedi Master who was able to negotiate his way through a major crisis, who only used his lightsaber when needed to and opposed using aggressive actions when he could. The fact that his friend had changed that much was disheartening.

Obi-Wan hadn't told him the full story; it had been Anakin Skywalker, on the authorisation of the Jedi Council to report to him the full facts of the battle, though he had bought with him a written statement from Obi-Wan.

The full details would be released in a report that he was writing up, that each Senator would read and then vote on the outcome. The same report would be sent to the Separatist Council. The statements of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi were included in that.

Bail could not disagree with the actions of the Jedi Order in this case though there was bound to be a few Senators who would have wanted them to have taken the case through the courts regarding the Chancellor, however the Chancellor had control of the courts, undoubtedly staffed with people who were loyal to him and would not find him guilty of any misnomer.

The Chancellor had acted unwisely in the last hours of his life. He had known that the Jedi were coming for him, he had thought that he could win, but his ambitions had failed, and Padmé had nearly died as a result. Bail was certain that if Skywalker had lost his duel, then the Senators imprisoned within their offices would have been executed to implicate the Jedi Order, thereby making them traitors to the Republic.

The order that had been found within the clone army to execute all Jedi would have been activated. Innocent people would have died, children too. Bail shuddered at that thought. The Chancellor had been evil.

Effectively the Chancellor had signed his own death warrant by imprisoning Padmé. In his view the Jedi were right to kill him rather than capture – he hoped that the rest of the Senators agreed with his sentiment.

Dooku's death was more complicated to handle. But he hoped that the Separatist Council would listen to Padmé's words and the reports of the two Jedi and come to the conclusion that everyone in the Republic had been simple pieces of a chess board that was a playing field for both the former Chancellor and the Count.

A headache was brewing as he continued to write up his report. He wanted to get this sent out as soon as possible.

The sooner the enquiry ended, the sooner the Republic could elect a new Supreme Chancellor.

* * *

**A week later…**

The two Jedi, former Master and Apprentice, one who felt that he did not belong in the Order and the other that wanted to be a Jedi but wished to be allowed attachments, stood side-by-side in front of the Jedi Council.

They had been called forth to the chamber after the Council had deliberated what they would do with the two of them. Obi-Wan's case was simple, or so Anakin assumed, since the acts he had committed had been influenced against his will – he couldn't be blamed for his transgressions. The Council had already judged Obi-Wan, had already told him that he could leave if he wanted to, that they were not going rescind his seat on the Council. Anakin suspected that they had called him here due to the developments in the Senate regarding the enquiry into the Chancellor's death. He thought that they would offer Obi-Wan the same choice they had done before.

They probably thought the other man would take it, would stay, but Anakin suspected differently. He thought Obi-Wan would leave.

Anakin on the other-hand had done what he had with a free will. His fate was in question here rather than Obi-Wan's.

"Skywalker," Mace Windu was the first to speak, always the spokesman for the entirety of the Council, the one who always gave the decisions, but who did listen to the other opinions of his other Council Masters. "Today we pass judgement on you and your place within the Jedi Order."

Anakin swallowed, bowing respectfully before the Masters. He straightened and prepared himself for the worst.

"You have broken our rules willingly. You have formed attachments, attachments that a Jedi should not have. You married knowing that you were risking expulsion from our Order. You asked for the chance to prove to us that you can still be a Jedi and have attachments. We have watched you throughout the last few months," continued Mace.

Anakin swallowed.

"And we are impressed with how you have acted during this difficult time. We Knighted you with reservations – as we believed that you were not ready. We gave you a Padawan to train to challenge you and to test your commitment to the Jedi Order. With Obi-Wan's capture we kept a close eye on you, and we have seen that though you still have faults you are far more attuned to the Force then you once were."

Anakin didn't know what to think to that. Was that supposed to be a compliment? Hadn't he been in tune with the Force prior to becoming a Knight? He had known they had Knighted him with reservations. He hadn't been trained since he was a baby, unlike most of them there. He kept quiet choosing wisely in the face of what he was unsure was criticism or not.

Mace Windu leaned back in his chair. "You helped to destroy the Sith and you helped to save Obi-Wan, even at the cost of getting your wife to a medical centre. A Force trance on a non-Force sensitive person doesn't always work. You didn't make her your priority in that pivotal moment when you saw what Obi-Wan was about to do."

"And that shows that your attachment did not hinder you at a most pivotal time," finished Ki-Adi Mundi.

Anakin's breath became quicker. Were they going to let him remain in the Order?

"You prevented a Jedi from falling to the dark side. For that the Council are grateful for your actions. This has been a difficult decision to make considering the many long centuries our law on no attachments has lasted for," continued the Korean Master. Now he leaned forward. "Master Yoda will pass our judgement to you."

Swallowing, Anakin stilled himself, his body completely tensed up as he wondered what they would say. Obi-Wan stood beside him, his head bowed forward.

The oldest Jedi Master spent a good minute probing Anakin with the Force. He let Yoda do so trying to keep himself calm.

"Hmmm… Strong attachments you have. Always at risk of the dark side you will be."

"But I can –" interrupted Anakin, wincing when Yoda raised his gimmer stick and he silenced, choosing not to finish his sentence.

"Shown you have that resistance you have to it. Acted as a Jedi would with the Chancellor, you did. Helped save the Order, this we cannot forget. A Jedi you may remain."

The words filtered through his head in relief. _A Jedi you may remain… _"Really? You… you mean that? I… I can still be married to Padmé?" He had to check, had to make sure that they were aware he would not give her up.

Yoda inclined his head. "Acceptable this is. Each Jedi case of attachment from now on will be assessed. Trained to avoid attachments Jedi still will be, but if in Knighthood they show they remain committed to the Order and form attachments then allow this the Council will. An example you will be to the younger Knights. Required you will be to spend time in the Temple, not every night can you go home, a Jedi your first commitment must be."

A small smile tugged at his lips. Anakin could stay in the Order. He was baffled and pleased all at the same time. He had expected to be expelled which even though he wanted to be a Jedi, he wanted to be with Padmé more so if that had been his fate he would have accepted it grudgingly. He had broken the code after all. And he realised that he did not feel mad about the idea that he could have been expelled. He rightly deserved it. Nor did he feel angry about not being able to go home to Padmé every night. Oddly enough it felt right if he was to balance bring a Jedi and having an attachment.

"Congratulations Anakin," said Obi-Wan quietly, his head still bowed.

"Thanks. You were right." He would hugged Obi-Wan but he thought in front of the Council would be the most inappropriate place to do so.

"Master Kenobi," started Adi Gallia.

"Please, Master Gallia, don't refer me to me as a Master. I'm not," interrupted Obi-Wan.

The happiness that had elated itself inside Anakin's chest seemed to abate as his head caught up with his heart as he realised what Obi-Wan was going to do.

The Council members exchanged looks as they considered Obi-Wan's words.

"Do you still wish to leave the Order?" queried Saesee Tiin.

"I need to think away from here. I feel out of place here." Obi-Wan chewed his bottom lip. "Senator Amidala's speech did me favours. The Separatists are backing down on my assumed murder of Dooku considering the evidence of the former Supreme Chancellor working with the Count. Though there was never any proof that I killed him, the fact that he was colluding with the Chancellor of the Republic and trying to murder him at the same time, makes his death justified." He hated the thought that he had gotten away with murder.

Just a few hours ago, security recordings from an old derelict building away from the Senate district showed the Chancellor making regular visits there… as well as the Count in the days before and after the start of the clone wars. Even though no footage was of their meetings, the fact that they arrived at the same place spoke volumes. Files found on the Chancellor's private datapad that had been hacked into by Republic specialists also found details of extensive blue-prints for the construction of a planet-shattering station. The files also provided intricate details into the orders that the Clones had been programmed with.

The evidence was there and Obi-Wan's name had been cleared from being pursued by the Separatists. He could now leave the capital if he wished to. Though the finer details of what happened in the Chancellor's quarters would never be released, it was still a lot for Obi-Wan to take in and to learn to live with.

"I want to remain a part of the Order," said Obi-Wan slowly, "and I don't want to leave without your permission to do so. I cannot guarantee if I leave if I'll come back quickly either." There was sadness in his eyes.

Yoda looked kindly towards the troubled Jedi. "Have my permission to leave you do. Take your time you must if you are to heal properly."

Anakin watched as the rest of the Council echoed similar words. The Council would keep Obi-Wan's place on the Council open for him though Obi-Wan asked them to reconsider as he didn't want the Council to be incomplete while he sought to find himself again. Perhaps he wouldn't? Anakin could understand that sentiment but the Council seemed assured that Obi-Wan would come back to them.

Anakin wasn't so sure on that. But he had to believe in his friend and mentor that he wouldn't leave for good.

* * *

_Obi-Wan. _

_Hello Master. _Obi-Wan recognised Qui-Gon's voice. _Come to change my mind about leaving? _He was in the process of packing, back in his old quarters. He was taking very few belongings – a change of clothes, bedding, nutritious snacks and his lightsaber crystal. He refused to wield a lightsaber.

_No, you are doing the right thing by walking away, _answered Qui-Gon.

_Really? You are the first one to think so, _retorted Obi-Wan. Though that was a lie. He could sense that Anakin understood why he was leaving. At least someone in the Order could understand his position on this.

_You've been damaged, Obi-Wan, but you are not beyond healing. You did not kill Dooku. No matter how much you wanted to, you didn't. Dooku can no longer control you. Padmé's injury is not blame that you should accord yourself either. You will see that in time. _

Obi-Wan wished he could believe his old Master. It still felt strange to know that Qui-Gon could commune with him. Apparently being dead didn't stop his Master from doing impossible things.

_In time you will learn this too… _If the voice of Qui-Gon had a physical image, Obi-Wan was sure his Master would have been smiling while speaking that comment.

_I don't even know where I'm going. _Obi-Wan hadn't even thought about it. He just knew that he had to leave.

_I would suggest visiting Stewjon. _

Obi-Wan started. _Stewjon? Why go back to the place of my birth? _

_You said you didn't know where to go. It is a place to start, it is your beginning. A small, simple community may help you. You may be leaving Coruscant but you do not have to continue travelling. Settling in one quiet place may be all you need to find yourself again, _answered Qui-Gon cryptically.

Obi-Wan frowned as he clipped the case shut, inserting a coded key lock onto it and picking it up with his right hand. _It appears to be a feasible idea. _

Qui-Gon's voice was silent. He did not reply.

"Great, don't talk to me anymore then," he said out loud.

_I've said all I needed to say, Obi-Wan. _

Obi-Wan almost went red.

Taking his case, he made one last look around the room and then departed, not knowing when he would return, or if he ever would.

* * *

"_Today Senator Bail Organa concluded proceedings into the investigation into the deaths of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and Count Dooku. He spoke at length of the findings and of the information shared to the Senate by the Jedi Order." _

"_Though the full details of what exactly Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was will never be publicly confirmed, it has been revealed that the former Chancellor was in league with Count Dooku, the two men working together against the Republic. It appears that the two worked together to mount this war, manipulating both sides."_

"_Organa also revealed that on the night of Palpatine's death, he was locked in his office, and told that he was a traitor to the Republic. Senator Organa kindly played this message out as did the other members of the Loyalist committee who were imprisoned in their own offices."_

"_In light of this evidence, the Separatist Council has agreed to plunder their resources into bringing General Grievous to justice who remains at large and in control of a large portion of the droid army. A number of Jedi have been dispatched to the war front to aid in this endeavour. The Council has also agreed to a cease-fire and talks which will be held on a neutral planet. It is expected that Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo will be one of the Senators hosting the talks."_

"_In light of the recent evidence the Separatist Council has now rescinded their detain warrant on Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. It has been confirmed that both Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker were present in the office at the time of the deaths. It is not known who killed whom. Bail Organa has said that the Senate has received statements from both Skywalker and Kenobi which have been shared with the Separatist Council but the full details will only be released when the witnesses to the deaths of Palpatine and Count Dooku have died. Both governments are happy with the end result of the investigation and no arrests have been made."_

"_Now the long, hard task for everyone is to begin rebuilding the shattered Republic and to determine if the Separatists can be recognised as a legitimate government."_

* * *

"Obi-Wan!"

Anakin was running towards him as he completed his checks on his starfighter.

Sighing, Obi-Wan dropped down the ladder he was standing on and watched as his friend skid to a stop. "What is it, Anakin?"

"Are you just going to leave without saying goodbye?" the younger man asked, looking slightly distraught that Obi-Wan would do that.

"I was hoping to," he admitted, feeling shame at his actions. He was trying to exclude Anakin though that was the last thing he wanted to do. It actually hurt that he was leaving this place despite feeling that he had to. A part of him wanted to stay here, wanted to remain and have Anakin at his side at all times. But how could he bear to look at Anakin when he had taken Padmé's chance of ever being a mother away from her? How could he even face her? She had forgiven him but did he really deserve it?

That was why he had to leave: to figure out if he really did deserve the leniency granted to him by the Council and the Republic, and if he was still the Jedi he once was.

Anakin sighed. "I know you feel that you can't face me but I don't blame you. Padmé is alive. Even if she had died I wouldn't have blamed you."

"How can you say that?" snapped Obi-Wan. "You've blamed me for other things before!"

Anakin bit his lip. "That was in error when I was immature enough to think that everything was your fault. It never was. It was mostly me for not listening to you, for not taking the Code seriously enough. I can't blame you for things that Dooku did. If I did that would make me a callous person."

"I don't deserve yours or Padmé's forgiveness," replied Obi-Wan quietly.

"You have it and I hope that one day you realise this," smiled Anakin, grasping his former Master by the shoulder. "I don't want you to leave but if you feel you have to then all I can do is support you and hope that one day you return to the Temple."

Obi-Wan looked away. He didn't know for sure if he would but his hopes to return were high. If he could figure himself out he would step back into the world that had been a part of his life ever since he was a baby.

"Anakin…"

"Don't apologise. I know you feel conflicted," interrupted Anakin. He held out a hand.

Obi-Wan stood there unsure of whether to take Anakin's hand and shake it in goodbye or to hug him because he really didn't know when he would see him again. In the end he opted to shake the hand, choosing the more comfortable option for him.

"May the Force be with you, Master," said Anakin quietly.

Obi-Wan inclined his head. "And you."

Climbing up into the cockpit of his starfighter, Obi-Wan settled himself down. He had elected to not have an astromech droid with him. He fired up the engines, waiting for his screen to tell him that they were warm enough. He looked back out of the cockpit window as it slid into place over him and saw Anakin standing back, watching.

Taking the joystick he eased the ship up off its struts and gently into the air.

He felt calm and at peace.

As he guided his starfighter out of the Temple hanger he realised that he felt like that because he was going away from the troubles that rocked his soul. He wasn't running away, merely going away for a while to think things through.

A slight smile came to his lips as he joined the air-traffic queue waiting to move into orbit.

Obi-Wan sat back, feeling relaxed for the first time in ages.

_This trip will be good for you. _Qui-Gon's voice reverberated inside his skull. _You'll come back here. _

Obi-Wan didn't share his sentiments that he definitely would so he voiced the words that were the only option to him. "I hope so. I really hope so."

* * *

Walking slowly up the landing pad until she reached her Master's position, Ahsoka traced her gaze to where Anakin was looking. He watched as Obi-Wan's starfighter lifted into the air, a sorrowful expression on his face.

"What is Master Kenobi doing?" she asked, her curiosity breaking the silence, and then she noticed how her bond with Anakin was feeling. "You're sad."

The starfighter engines roared to life and the fighter gently glided upwards, before slowly turning and heading up and out into the atmosphere and into space.

Anakin turned to face her. "He's going away for a while. I'll miss him."

"So he can heal?" asked Ahsoka, tipping her chin up.

Anakin smiled lightly in acknowledgement. "He's going to find himself again, Ahsoka."

She didn't know what to say about that. But she could understand why. "Do you think he will come back?"

"I do. I believe in him," said Anakin. "It may not be this year, it may not be the next one, but he'll come back. I'm sure of it."

**To be continued…**

**In **

"**The Protector"**

* * *

**Please let me know what you think! **

**There are still some loose threads hanging: the Republic is still rebuilding, General Grievous is still at large, and Obi-Wan has walked away from the Jedi Order which considering that is what he's been saying he wants to do shouldn't come as a surprise that he has actually done so… but he hasn't left the Order officially as he still wants to be a Jedi.**

**Originally there wasn't going to be a sequel. But that has now changed. Safe to say Obi-Wan's journey needs covering in greater detail and it fits better in a sequel then continued in this story since the aspect of people playing dangerous games is now over. The epilogue for this story has now been scrapped or rather moved to occur later on in the sequel. **

**I am now working on "The Protector" and I hope to begin posting soon, perhaps this Tuesday if the first chapter is completed by then. Please bear in mind that I am in the process of writing my dissertation, exams to revise for and other essays to write so updates to the sequel may be slower in coming. **

**But here are some details about "The Protector": **

**Summary:** Hurt and damaged from his experiences at the hands of Count Dooku, Obi-Wan Kenobi seeks healing on the planet of his birth. When the still-at-large General Grievous attacks Stewjon, Obi-Wan must put aside his fears of wielding a Jedi's blade and become the protector he was born to be.

**So there you go. **

**I hope you enjoyed reading 'Dangerous Games' and I hope you join me for 'The Protector' which will continue this story. **

**May The Force Be With You!**

**the-writer1988**


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